The Most Fascinating Person I've Never Met
by OchaRiku
Summary: Shizuru Fujino, your typical college student trying to create a clear path to her future partakes in an internship; however, the task she's given is not exactly what she expected. Days go by, weeks go by, months accumulate, and she grows a fondness with her new role. But how can she continue cherishing the one thing she's never met?
1. Not So Typical

**DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own Mai-HiME, or else that show would be ShizNat every episode, with your occasional NatNao (yes, I like that pairing too). And as for this story, its future is unclear, but I promise you it would be a fulfilling read and great for me to write as well. It's AU and OOC. Probably some OCs in the mix (not for main roles, just for extra characters). Let me know what you think, and look forward to more updates of WHVSV? :)**

* * *

Not So Typical

"NEXT!"

A brunette woman stood from her chair at the sound of the coarse voice, letting go exasperatedly of a breath she'd been holding for a while. For months maybe.

She smiled her way passed the few patrons sitting in the waiting room, only then remembering that this building wasn't a place where one should be smiling at all. It didn't matter though, as she had already made her way into the back room, seating herself in front of the voice's owner. She was met by an older woman, possibly in her thirties, her presence equally dreary as the room outside her office which was decorated in all white walls, with no windows, and dim lighting on top of that. The brunette refocused her attention, trying her best not to let the building's tense aura seep into her skin.

_Well, this is what I asked for…_

"Hello ma'am. My name is Shizu–"

"I know who you are." The woman cut off Shizuru's introduction, causing the brunette to awkwardly retract her hand. She found herself smiling off the ordeal again. _I can't help it… this place needs all the smiles it can get._

"You're here for the internship?"

"Y-Yes…" the girl stammered, a mixture of nerves and anxiousness seeping into her veins.

"Under Officer Namudo?"

"Yes!"

"Well I'm sorry, he's in the process of being transferred to another district, so you're going to have to wait for another–"

_Wait, what?_

"Wait? I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't–"

"–So just schedule a new appointment or contact one of the other officers in the following months."

"But wait, can't you just –"

"NEXT."

Shizuru, now standing stock-still, couldn't believe what was happening. She already waited for months. She already contacted an officer. She had already been accepted into this internship she had been dreaming about – she had been telling all her friends and family about. And now… she's being pushed aside?

Newly found thoughts went rampant inside the girl's body, her once freely hanging hands molding into fists, her knuckles turning a shade whiter.

"Ma'am, I already told you waiting is not an option! This is the last opportunity I have for this," Shizuru admitted.

"Well that sounds like a personal problem, and I'm sure you know that we deal with enough of those here already. Please take your leave," the woman, still seated comfortably, began shifting the papers on her desk, not even attempting to meet the scarlet eyes glaring upon her. Only when Shizuru had felt something brush past her back had the woman looked up, now doting a smile.

"Ah, Mr. Iro! How's your son doing?" She chimed, enveloping the rugged man's hands within her own, shaking them feverishly like one would a long lost friend. Shizuru moved out of the man's way, but could not move more than a few feet from the older woman's desk. She wouldn't allow herself to.

She couldn't allow herself to.

"It's nice to see you after so long, Midori. You know, Kai's doing well again. Well, not _well_ but better than before. He really misses you. Why don't you come over for dinner?" The man asks just as he takes his seat, now making Shizuru feel even more an intruder on the two's conversation.

"Hey, hey!" The brunette, feeling slightly ridiculous, approached the woman. She placed her hands on the edge of her desk. "I was not finished talking with you! I already told you that–"

"I apologize, Iro-san," the woman directed towards the man who just nodded and sank further into the cotton-matted chair, which creaked at his every move. "Now Ms. Fujino, if you do not leave right now, I will be forced to call security to have you removed."

"Ara, have _me_ removed?" The brunette repeated with a finger pressing into her chest, releasing an incredulous laugh. She just couldn't believe this. "Do I even look like a threat to you? Did you read my portfolio? Did anything in there scream 'threat'?"

"Whoa, what's going on in here?" A bright voice infiltrated the room, causing the brunette to turn around in curiosity. The redhead teetered into the room, cautiously looking around at first. Her light eyes met Shizuru's, who returned a blank stare. The cheery intruder then looked towards the older office woman who wore an expression short of a snarl. The girl's lips formed a crescent. "Really, you should start drinking coffee in the morning. It would definitely tone down your personality." The woman giggled before placing two steaming cups Shizuru had failed to initially notice her carry in on the birch desk, the cardboard protectors slowly sliding down the containers. "One for you, and one for Iro-san!" She bubbled over once she said the man's name, going past Shizuru to pull him into a bear hug; Shizuru wasn't sure whether he was enjoying it or just appreciating the gesture.

"Huh-um," the brunette cleared her throat. _I'm still here…_

"Oh, I'm sorry!" The redhead walked around the chairs, facing Shizuru with an outstretched palm. "From the arguing I heard earlier, I take it you're in a meeting with Sugiura-san?"

"Uh, yes," Shizuru slowly outstretched her arm, meeting the redhead's hand halfway.

"More like _had_ a meeting with me. I already told her she'd have to come back in a couple of months, but she won't listen. Why don't you take her before Haruka comes in here and chews off both our asses? You know how she is about complaints…" She muttered the end, earning a chuckle from the other two in the small, insipid room.

"Don't need to tell me twice!"

* * *

Hallway after hallway after hallway, it seemed to Shizuru, was all she explored in this building other than the waiting room, the one office, and the occasional elevator. She had become accustomed to the rhythmic click of the other woman's heels, only looking up when the noise stopped or became irregular in pattern. The silence that engulfed them was not unwelcomed, as it provided Shizuru time to dwell upon life outside this building. _What should I make for dinner tonight… maybe pasta._

"So what drew you to this decision?"

"Huh?" _What drew me to choose pasta?_

"You know, to pick a branch of criminal justice like this one. There's so many less hands on, less _disturbing_ fields than child protective services," the heels stop and a slender finger presses an up-arrow button. Shizuru's heart stammered a little less, though her embarrassment over wondering if the redhead could read minds lingered. Before she could answer, the elevator doors dinged open.

"I guess you could say it's a passion sort of thing," Shizuru finally spoke. "Being able to put a voice to an untold, hidden story… helping another find their own voice to speak out against violence… they're very important qualities." _God, I feel like such a hypocrite._

"You know, I remember being in the same position as you years back. Walking in here, I only thought 'what the hell have I gotten myself into?'. Oh, and I was always afraid to interview the parents and children too," the redhead smiled to herself. "Boy, has that changed."

Shizuru wanted to ask something more, but the heels had already starting going again, and the silence was back. Soon enough the two reached an office, Shizuru reading the plaque next to the door.

'_Tokiha Mai (CS)'_

'_CS'? What's…_

Before the thought could be finished, Shizuru's attention was completely misdirected towards the blindingly baby-blue walls behind the door Mai just opened, contrasting completely with the bare décor the rest of the building seemed to embellish. Once Mai's body was consumed whole into the space, Shizuru stood at the door frame, her eyes almost felt attacked since first entering the building. On every wall there was a poster or picture of a sort, some of cartoon characters, popular bands that the brunette recognized, or even of actual children. Elsewhere were action figures, dolls, and puzzles upon puzzles neatly stacked on shelves. A cozy couch rested in a corner, an equally relaxing, shaggy rug could be found under it. Across the way was a glass coffee table and a single seat. Shizuru could only imagine what kinds of tales were told in that section of the room. She peered to her right, only to find more of the same casual items on the walls and smaller shelves. But instead of a couch, coffee table and additional seat, she found a rather worn chair and desk, a small Dell laptop left open on its surface.

"Whoa," the girl unconsciously uttered, earning a small snicker from the redhead who was already well within the room.

"Surprised?" Shizuru fell from her evanescent state, quirking a brow at, what seemed to her, the redhead's sudden outburst or boast. Receiving no response from the latter, Shizuru pointed a finger towards her own body. _Me? Surprised? _The girl thought, a sense of déjà vu washing over her.

Mai grinned at the gesture, returning with one of her own. She pointed her nose up in the air and let her mouth hang agape, making 'oohs' and 'ahs'. When the realization hit the brunette, her eyes grew in diameter, if only for a moment. It's just that… she didn't look like that while eyeballing the room, did she? She returned her attention to the redhead, who seemed to take the act to the next level, fake examining things in the room, stumbling around to each new item in succession.

"Ara, okay, I was surprised," Shizuru waved her hand, coaxing the girl to stop since she got the message now. "It's just that every other place in this building is so plain, so this room – _your office_ – it really stood out to me." Mai nodded her head, taking a look at the room along with the intern.

"Yeah, well there's a reason for that," she walked over to her desk, opening the drawer and pulling out a peppermint. She motioned towards the brunette.

"Oh, uh, no thanks," Shizuru declined, watching the redhead shrug her shoulders and throw back the mint into her mouth.

"As I was saying, there's a reason why some areas of this place looks like it does." Mai walked from her desk and to the main seating area in the room. She sat in the chair, Shizuru closing the door behind her before walking over as well to seat herself in the only other vacant spot. "Did you see the two letters next to my name?" Shizuru thought back to the 'CS' she briefly pondered on.

"Yeah, what does that stand for?"

"Child Specialist. I'm the one who interviews the children," Mai sighs, propping her feet on the coffee table and leaning her head back. Shizuru wasn't uncomfortable, but just unfamiliar with a stranger behaving so… 'laid back' in front of her.

"I take it you're not exactly… satisfied? I mean, you did say earlier that children weren't exactly your forte."

"No, no! That's not it at all. I'm pretty good at my job, seeing that I earned this position in the first place. Sometimes being the child specialist just means your job's harder than everyone else's. You know, not only is it hard to get a child to confess to abuse, because you never know what they were told was the consequence of that, but just accepting the fact that such horrible things could be done to a child is heart wrenching as well."

Shizuru simply listened, understanding the opposite's words fairly well. She had thought she might want to be working with kids more so than doing the research, but Shizuru had constantly changed her mind. It felt like most things in her life she wasn't sure about, which is why she needed this internship. Something to convince her _and _her parents that she could find a steady future in this profession. But she never once mentioned to Officer Namudo her interest in helping kids, because, as usual, she wasn't sure. She had just told the man that whatever was fine. He accepted that answer, and told her to visit the office on the first of September. During the four month gap between that final conversation and this day, Shizuru had never once thought the man's lack of checking in on her was because he wouldn't be working here any longer. Speaking of…

"Officer Namudo, the one who I interviewed for the internship with, what happened to him?"

"Oh, Namudo-san? I guess I need to finish explaining something else about the rooms first," Mai said while repositioning herself. "While there are only a few rooms like mine, most of the others are plain, undecorated, or simply unfinished. And that's because any one of us could be moved in an instant."

"What do you mean?"

"We go where the cases are," Mai stated matter-of-factly.

_Makes sense…_

"So…,"

"The girl that Namudo's investigation revolved around died."

Shizuru's heart stopped. The familiarity and heaviness burdened upon those four letters burned her soul, reminding her how serious this profession was – yet another reason why her parents coerced against becoming involved.

Mai, who was now sitting Indian-style in the comfy leather seat, watched the brunette's eyes and expressions, timing when she thought it'd be best to continue.

"Before he finished gathering the last piece of evidence to have the girl's parents arrested, she committed suicide. He blamed himself for it till the day he packed his last box. He said he needed to find a new area to work, that his office only reminded him of her…"

_Wow. That sucks._

Shizuru inwardly cringed at her choice of words, but she didn't know what such a thing felt like. _Do I want to know?_ The girl questioned internally; once again she wasn't sure. But she had to remind herself that that's why she was here. To prove her parents wrong. To prove herself right.

_I… I just won't let anyone I work with die. _The brunette sat for a delayed amount of time, thinking about what exactly that meant. What it meant to not _allow _someone to die. Mai shifted awkwardly in her seat.

"Wow, looks like I _totally_ messed up the mood in here. Sorry," the redhead rocked out of the chair after a few seconds, walking on the balls of her heels towards her desk. Unknown to Shizuru, she briefly typed something up, turning to face the girl after only another moment. "Ready to go visit Haruka?"

"Ara, Haruka..?"

"Yep. My boss."

* * *

Shizuru massaged her fingers into her palm, aware of the accumulating perspiration.

_Crap, why now?_

The two women mimicked their positions while walking in the halls earlier, one of them leading the way while the other was a shadow. Shizuru looked up from the floor to the brown folder in the redhead's hands, half wondering what were its contents and half paying attention to the light humming produced by the girl's vocal chords.

"Her room's in the next corridor," Mai sing-songed, her statement feeling like a challenge to Shizuru's hands which decided to sweat some more. The two arrived in a very well furnished hall, the sound of the redhead's heels almost becoming more appealing due to the shift in scenery. The environment was no longer plain, releasing a feel of excellence – almost saying that at this office, you were in the right hands. The maple door with a gold plated name directly on it further guaranteed this assurance.

"Brace yourself," Mai smiled, and Shizuru returned the expression, just not as enthusiastically.

The heavy door slowly opened, revealing luscious emerald walls and complementing hard wood floors. Bookcases filled with pages amongst pages, awards piled on top of awards, and a countless number of pictures is what struck Shizuru first, the impact much more sensitive than the effect of Mai's office. _Maybe that Midori lady's mad because she got stuck with a crappy set up._

"Suzushiro-san, the intern," Mai's happy-go-lucky charm that slightly escaped her back in her office was back in full force now, her voice confident and firm.

"She can come in. Did you bring her resume?"

"Yes, I have it here," Mai lifted the folder that she had been clutching since leaving her office.

_So that's what's in there?_

"Ms. Fujino, it's nice to meet you," the booming voice echoed in the vast area, the room seeming a little too large for a simple office. _I take it that she's not just Mai's boss…_

The brunette went to take a bow, but the blonde's hand hanging in the air suggested a different greeting.

_Shoot._

Shizuru managed the largest smile of her life, hoping that maybe a ridiculous expression would keep the woman from noticing the wet towel of a hand she's shaking. The brunette wasn't sure if it worked or not, but if it didn't, the blonde surely didn't make it obvious. She just sat behind her desk again, opened the folder Mai handed over and began reviewing its contents.

Silence loomed in the room. Shizuru sat tapping her foot gently against the luxury flooring, watching the woman sweep at her short blonde fringe every once in a while. _What is she looking at so closely?_ Shizuru had seen her father, a prominent business man, examine charts and briefings before, a small grin on his face as if he was enjoying the task; never had she seen one examine a short document emotionlessly for _almost thirty minutes_. Shizuru looked to the grandfather clock towards one corner of the room just to check her timing.

_Thirty-one minutes and counting._

She retracted her gaze only to have it fall upon the redhead sitting across from her. The woman was playing with her fingers.

_What _have_ I gotten myself into_?

"Fujino," the sudden call of her name forced the girl to spring in her seat.

"Y-Yes!"

"I would like it if you could wait outside please."

* * *

The walk was killing her.

_Why won't she say anything?_

It had been about five minutes since Mai had closed the office door behind her, maybe another fifty since the two entered. Shizuru had practically broken her thumbs with the way she aggressively fiddled them, her mind conjuring every possible thing the two could be in there discussing. So when the redhead came out the office, she expected the bright woman to say something, anything. But the only thing she provided initially was a look. A look that Shizuru couldn't decipher even if she tried.

_Come on, say something!_

"Tokiha-san." The woman began walking faster. _What the...? _ "Tokiha-san, could you please tell me–"

Without any warning, the redhead turned back and placed a finger in the middle of the brunette's lips, causing the latter to back away. "Wait, it's not something we'd want to talk about out here," the woman gestured to the other offices lining the halls. Shizuru didn't know if she should be happy or more concerned than before – happy that Mai hadn't said her internship needed to be cancelled or postponed, or even more terrified that she'd tell her to leave once they reached her office or something _worse_. Slowly nodding her head in understanding, the brunette gulped. A rock had formed in her stomach, the rhythmic clicks of heels now only haunting her mind.

Before she knew it, her senses battled against bold baby blue walls, her nose met with a minty scent, only to draw her eyes to Mai behind her ordinary desk again. Shizuru strode in, shutting the door and letting her back rest against it. Mai had begun to type erratically on the laptop's key pad, not a single finger falling out of pace. Shizuru's arms folded, keeping her from abusing her thumbs.

"…Come here." Mai said out of character. Shizuru's heart missed a beat, becoming irregular. She stepped behind Mai, her eyes falling upon the screen.

_Child Profile…_

"If you were wondering, no, you're not fired. Actually, you've been kind of hired in a way. This is certainly not a job we'd give an intern, but due to past problems, Haruka made a decision." Shizuru tuned in on Mai's words while reading over the page. Her eyes danced, capturing and double-taking the information. "She instructed me to work with you on this one, to act in Officer Namudo's place sort of. She gave us a case that plenty in this building have tried to deal with, but this one, this girl is not the typical patient…"

Once Shizuru's eyes consumed the last word, they traced themselves to a picture. Under the picture, she read the caption.

_Kuga Natsuki._

* * *

**A/N: Trying something new after an inspiration. I have no idea where this could be headed, but sometimes an author needs a break from writing the same plot. WHVSV? will still be updated, hopefully within the near future. In the meantime, please tell me what you think about this, and whether or not you'd want it on or not on demand. Thanks!**

– **Ocha-chan**


	2. A Monster

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Mai HiME, blah blah blah. And I want you all to read this chapter knowing one thing… I hate Reito. Lol, you'll see why I say that! Also, thanks for the reviews! Hopefully your questions shall be answered with the following content. Now, on to what you've been waiting for!**

* * *

A Monster

"So, how was it?" Shizuru stared at her hands, thumbs swirling. She refused to meet the stern woman's equally penalizing glare.

"Fine, mom."

"What happened?"

"Just intern stuff." The car ride went mute save for the background noise of the Tokyo streets. Looking out the window, Shizuru imagined the lights were racing past the car, not the other way around. The conversing pedestrians, packed stores and a starless sky had the brunette feeling like she was printed inside a tourist brochure. Just peering outside had the girl somewhat missing her hilly hometown, filled with endless pastures and vegetation. With every shift in season Mother Nature seemed to be granting the eyes a gift, the trees painting themselves in vivid red or gold tones as rivers reflected their beauty. There was always a sweet, calming smell in the air that prompted the brunette to take her walks to and from school a bit slower. Not to mention taking short cuts past the Kamogawa River to a kawayuka always made for the best days – and the most relaxing meals too. The only thing Shizuru found settling about the busy city in which she currently resided was that it was rarely quiet. It never really allowed her to completely focus on complexities, which was a good thing most of the time. Plus, there was always something to do or someone to meet. Though she couldn't deny that underlying feeling of homesickness. She genuinely missed Kyoto.

_And I also miss my car_.

"Don't play that silent game with me, Zuru," the accented voice erupted, followed by heavy eye rolling from the younger adult.

"God, mom. I'm not playing games! I just know what your response would be no matter what I say."

"Ara, that what you're doing is just wasting _your_ time and _my_ money that's got you in college?"

"Yes, exactly my point," Shizuru slumped in her chair. _Only a few more days until my car should be out the shop_. The girl took a glance at her wrist watch, as if each tick of the seconds hand would place an 'X' on the calendar. A part of the brunette wished she'd invested in a bus pass, but then again buses weren't really her 'thing' – she never enjoyed traveling in them, which is why she didn't buy a pass in the first place.

"Your father and I just want what's best for you." _Here we go again…_

"Ara, really? Because to me it seems like becoming the head of the family corporation would only be best for the two of you." Shizuru steamed, the driver apparently finding her words hilarious.

"Foolish girl," the woman chuckled, "you just don't know that it's the best for you right now. You'd be thankful in a couple of years." The woman earned a gruff from her daughter.

_Sometimes I can't believe these people are my parents. They never listen._

Time drugged by painstakingly slow before the driver reached her destination. Shizuru wordlessly opened the car door, rummaging through the pocket of her grey pea coat. When fingers met metal, the girl satisfyingly grinned, knowing she had an assured escape from the woman she called mom.

"Your father might call you later. Oh, and tell Reito I said hi," the woman called just before Shizuru slammed shut the door, reminding her that she did in fact need to consult with the boy about some _things_.

"Yeah, sure–"

"And Shizuru, sweetie, _please_. Just give your dad and I a chance sometimes," the woman peered from inside the car through the lowered passenger's side window. "I feel like you ignore everything we say just because we're your parents."

_So not true. Well, only sometimes._ "Ara, alright mom. I'll try," the girl forced a small smile. "See you later." The brunette stood watching as the sleek black vehicle pulled away, eventually melting into the busy scene that was simply Tokyo.

The girl climbed weathered concrete stairs to a rather matte door. She found herself about to knock along its cool surface, but the rattling of metal keys in her hand spoke against it. _Geez, Shizuru. Alzheimer's much?_ She fiddled through the key ring, attempting the one that appeared to fit and feeling more than joyous when the door cracked open – she'd finally be able to escape the nipping winds of the uncharacteristically cool evening.

_What is going on with the world? It's only September._

She walked into her spacious flat, which was actually pretty nice despite its less than appealing look from the street, her eyes catching the outlines of furniture illuminated by traces of light fighting through curtained windows. A quick flick of a switch had the room come to life; the colored walls and personalized furniture allowing Shizuru to feel more at ease compared to earlier on that day. The girl bathed herself with the sight, peeling off her coat and tossing it to the side.

A flick of another switch led the brunette into an appropriately sized kitchen, her gaze falling onto the stove, fatiguing her muscles at just its sight. _I really don't feel like cooking. No pasta then..?_ She opened the wooden cupboards above her head, frowning at its vacancy.

_Yep, no pasta._

"Baby." More than startled, Shizuru turned around with a yelp. No later was she enveloped in a strong embrace, her eyes catching specks of black hair near her cheek. And suddenly she was irritated.

"Reito, you jerk! Get off!" Shizuru punched at the guy's back, the side of his face still secured in the crook of her neck. "I've told you so many times not to do that!"

"Do what, this?" As if on cue, he began planting soft kisses on the girl's neck, making her insides quiver.

"A-Ara, n-not that…" the girl tried to stifle the effects his treatment had on her, but failed to hide the shiver running throughout her body. She knew the boy noticed it too, feeling his smirk grow on milky white skin. Abruptly, muscular arms had her feet off the ground, her bosom now on the cool kitchen counter tops. Almond eyes had Shizuru immobilized as they usually did, fully examining every aspect of her face – the curve of her lips, the arch of her eyebrows, but most importantly the orbs underneath those arches. The brunette felt like he was staring _through_ her, her body becoming transparent whenever he looked her way.

"I love your eyes," he smiled that charming smile of his, the one that Shizuru saw him use on other girls before. Though she liked to think that the smile he gave her was different – that his smile right now, at this very moment, was different.

It didn't take long before hot breaths united, lips parting and joining in a slow, tender kiss, neither of the two fighting for dominance but just riding off each other's actions. The brunette leaned further off the counter to deepen the kiss, her legs stuck between the lower cabinets and the boy's body. Shizuru's insides enflamed, her conscience fighting the steady pulse growing between her legs and her heart telling her that this was wrong, that she should _know _better. The obsidian haired boy entangled his hand in chestnut curls, the simple gesture intensifying the previously well-paced kiss. A tongue brushed passed Shizuru's lips before it finally entered her mouth, the boy sucking on her bottom lip.

"Mmmph, …Reito," Shizuru's attempt at sounding stern turned out pathetically – she sounded breathless more than anything. Reito never paused even after Shizuru managed to escape their heated kiss, making a trail down her neck. He sucked lightly on every spot, the light whimpers driving his motive and increasing his temptation to grab the girl off the counter and carry her to the bedroom.

"R-Reito."

"What?" He murmured, hovering just above the girl's breasts.

"Please… please stop," Shizuru managed to say despite her inner conflict. Her body wouldn't dare cease what was going on at the moment, savoring every touch, every breath, and every smirk of the black haired boy; but her heart and mind kept telling her to stop, that if he really had been cheating like her friends said, giving in to him now would only make it seem like it was okay to cheat – that he could get what he wanted from any girl.

"Shizuru?" Reito remained where he was, his lips aching to taste more of his girlfriend. Shizuru placed her hands on his firm chest, gently pushing against him.

"I'm sorry, I need to talk w–" Lips silenced the brunette's protest; the girl's physical neediness had taken over. She wrapped her legs just above Reito's hips, his toned body grazing her inner thighs certainly not helping Shizuru's mind override the swelling need throbbing between her legs. The boy took the initiative, placing his hands deadly close to the brunette's ass and moving their bodies from the kitchen. He couldn't make it to the bedroom before the girl tugged on his fitted shirt, causing him to lose balance and land the both of them on the living room couch.

"Even better…" Reito grinned, that quirky attitude sending a shot of pure lust through Shizuru, who sank into the soft cushions. She needed his body. And now.

Hands revisited hair in the midst of another steamy kiss. Like the others, it had no real direction, no real meaning behind it other than wanting each other's bodies. Shizuru wondered for second if this was how Reito might have kissed other girls, if he had kissed them at all. But the irrational part of the girl told her that maybe Reito never did any cheating; that all those smiles were for her, and that these kisses were meant for her lips and skin _only_. Besides, there was no definite reason for her to believe otherwise other than second-hand tales, right?

…_Right._

Rugged hands began unbuttoning the girl's stripped blouse, the light fabric revealing smooth skin underneath.

_I don't have any definite proof of anything, so that doesn't mean it's true._

A familiar ringing sounded in the space, successfully interrupting the two breathless, not to mention horny, adults. Shizuru looked to the house phone secured to the wall across from the couch, then back to Reito. But once a particular thought dawned on Shizuru, she lifted herself up, the cool air tickling her abdomen.

_It might be him…_

"Wait." Reito held on to her retreating fingers. The girl silently mouthed a 'sorry' before pulling away, attempting to settle her breath.

"Ara, hello? Daddy?"

"Eh, Shizuru?" The familiar yet unanticipated voice questioned, sending Shizuru into a slight panic.

"T-Tokiha-san?" The brunette stammered, feeling ebony eyes from across the room rest upon her frame.

"Yes, it's me! Ah, I realize I never told you I'd call. Is this an okay time to talk, or are you…?"

"Oh no, no. It's fine! I'm available!"

"Oh, okay! Great!"

…Thirty minutes later and Reito found himself dozing off on the couch, already past restlessness and just bored with watching the girl's silhouette.

"Yes… okay, thank you. Alright. Bye," the brunette clasped the phone back to its position on the wall, turning around to see the dazed black-haired man.

"Who was that?"

"Just someone from the internship I told you about," Reito groaned, annoyed with the unidentified caller. The brunette lightly chuckled at his response. "So can I ask something?" The obsidian looked up expectantly, wondering what exactly there was to ask.

"Well actually, I want to ask three things," the scarlet eyed girl corrected with three fingers in the air before leaning against the wall, her skin forming goose bumps due to the difference in temperature.

"Hit me."

"Okay, first…," the girl stated, her ring finger folding, "why were you in the dark all alone? Two," her middle finger going down next, "what do you want for dinner? And three… care to explain why my boyfriend was so horny?" The girl snickered at her last question, earning a small smile from her opposite.

"One, I used my key to come over after lunch… I wanted to surprise you but I forgot you had your internship stuff today. I ended up watching TV and falling asleep instead. Two, anything you want, and three…" the boy's smirk grew, "there's no answer for three, really. I was just in the mood," he grins again before rising from the couch and heading towards the kitchen, Shizuru's eyes following his back. "Speaking of dinner," he says from behind the granite countertop, grabbing a small cookbook from a drawer, "I was thinking something like this." He flipped through the book before reaching a creased page, turning it towards the brunette who began her journey from across the living room to the adjacent side of the counter. She ran her finger across the page and stopped for a moment.

"But we don't have to have this if you don't wa–"

"No, it's fine," Shizuru opted while scanning the ingredients for shrimp fettuccine.

_So I guess it really is pasta then._

* * *

"Dang, what happened to you?"

"Long story," Shizuru sighed before dropping her lunch tray to the table a bit harsher than she intended. She sat down on the wooden bench across from the other girl, her feet entangling at the ankles underneath the table.

"It must be to have you looking like that," the brunette gave a side smirk towards her best friend. "Thanks, Aoi." She always seemed to know when to throw in a punch line. Honestly, Shizuru wasn't _not _expecting the honest words from her friend, the stares in the hallways from her peers, or even the friendly, yet awkward, gestures towards her disheveled hair and clothes and drooping eyes_. I asked for it._

While mindlessly opening her bag of chips, the brunette thought on the previous night that ended up extending into the day's morning. She and her boyfriend made it a task to go shopping together for ingredients. If it wasn't already hard enough to buy the food without fooling around, it was certainly made difficult when the two got back home and couldn't do a single thing without throwing in an unnecessary innuendo, a chaste kiss here, and the occasional smirk or glance there. Their playfulness ended up taking away from the result of the meal, but that didn't seem to matter since the late dinner ended up as _something else_. Shizuru felt a smile starting to form.

"Did that long story have a good ending?"

"What?" Shizuru snapped from her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing. I was just admiring you and Reito's relationship. It must be going great with you know, the drooling and spacing out and whatnot," the darker brunette smirked against the flesh of her apple, sinking her teeth in it to keep herself from laughing at her furiously blushing friend.

"Ara, i-it's not _that_ great! I still question what I've been hearing around campus," the girl retorted in defense, focusing on the next item on her tray. "It's just that he never shows signs of anything when he's with me. He's seemed the same since the day he asked me out."

"Did you talk to him about it?" Aoi asked, taking another bite of the fruit.

"No, I was planning to talk to him about it after I dealt with my internship first but he surprised me at my apartment yesterday. Which led to the mess of a 'me' you're looking at right now," the girl casually stated, gesturing towards herself. "But honestly, I'm not sure what to believe nowadays," she looked expectantly to her opposite, who simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I'd say go with my gut."

"But Aoi… my gut just flips whenever he gives me the slightest look or touch."

"Your heart, then?"

"My heart losses out compared to the throbbing–"

"_Ewh_. Okay, that's a bit too much," Aoi coughed on her apple, waving her hand to Shizuru's amusement.

"Ara… well if you can't bare that, would you still be willing to listen to the details of my _long story_?" Shizuru grinned slyly, leaning further over the table. "You know, you _did_ ask why I looked like this. Do you want to know?"

"If it's anything like what your heart lost to, then no. I'll pass," Aoi answered, sending the brunette into a fit of laughter. The two ate lunch comfortably before heading to the bathroom after dumping their trash.

"Wow, I really do look horrible," _worse than I thought, actually_, Shizuru stared into her reflection, her fingers running through her hair and getting caught in the eventual kink.

"Need this?" The scarlet orbed girl watched her friend in the mirror as she rummaged through her bag, pulling out a brush.

"Thanks," she turned towards the girl, retrieving it from her outstretched palm. Shizuru couldn't say she wasn't thankful for the girl, and not just for the brush; she seemed to be the only constant in her life at the moment. When it felt like all her parents did was bicker about her future career or her eventual marriage to Reito; when she'd hear another rumor about her fairytale boyfriend romancing another girl, Aoi was always there. Her set of ears never turned away Shizuru's worries, always content on listening even when the answer wasn't clear.

"Uh, I totally forgot to do the biology homework," the misty-blue eyed girl exhaled, applying a fresh layer of lip gloss in the mirror.

"Are you talking about the bookwork?" Shizuru's eyes glanced to her left, seeing the girl nod her head in the reflection. "That's actually due on Monday, so you've got time. The lab sheet is what's due today."

"Oh crap. I didn't do that one either," the girls both laughed, Shizuru finding humor in the girl's absent-minded mistakes, Aoi just laughing for the hell of it.

"And how you still have an 'A' mystifies me," Shizuru remarked with a shake of her head, the brush getting caught for the umpteenth time.

"Well the tests aren't hard. I just don't think the homework really has any point."

"The point of the homework _is_ the test, Aoi," Shizuru smirked.

"I know, but… you know what I mean!" The girl exclaimed frustrated, leaving silence, sans for the loud movements of brush through hair, to fill the space.

A couple of seconds passed before a familiar noise sounded, signaling the last class of the day for the two girls. Shizuru sighed annoyed, peering at herself in the mirror. She ran her hand through chestnut locks again, going over frizzy spots more than once.

"Umm… it looks better?" Aoi positioned herself next to the taller girl, who just sighed in response.

"Next time I'll have to tell Reito no hands in the hair."

"Uhh, Shizuru! TMI!"

* * *

"So how was your day?"

"Same as usual," the girl eyed the steaming cardboard cup in her hands before looking at the black haired man behind the steering wheel. "Any reason behind the Starbucks?"

"I guess you can say I kinda felt bad this morning seeing you rushing to get to class on time," Reito turned towards the girl with a saddened half smile, warming Shizuru's heart if only a little.

"You should feel bad," she came off direct, grinning when Reito stiffened in his seat. "I looked a mess today, you know? Even Professor Bradshaw was trying to console me on my sex hair."

"Professor Bradshaw…?" Shizuru frowned, knowing the boy had forgot that she ever mentioned the name before.

"Yes… the lady I told you about that burned half her hair off trying to toast pop tarts."

"Did you hear me?" Shizuru voiced not having heard her boyfriend's response for over a minute.

"What?"

"…Nevermind." It was in moments like these that Shizuru questioned her 'prince'; some days she chalked it up to the rigorousness of medical school, others she just recognized it as him not caring. And some days, she herself didn't care. She had gotten used to the lack of content in conversations that weren't revolving around some kind of flirtatious manner, his career, their marriage, or their parents; Shizuru came to accept that this was another part of the boy, just like his toned body and irresistible smirks, features that she'd like to think made up for the inattentiveness. Though how the boy managed to please her heart with one act and then cause her frustration in the very next moment bewildered the brunette.

A certain ringtone drew the girl from her inner thoughts, sending her into a search through her purse.

"Where are you?"

_What?_ "Tokiha-san?"

"Hey, you did remember our conversation yesterday night, right?"

"Ara, yes…," Shizuru frantically retraced the conversation in her mind, asking herself why exactly Mai would be calling her in such a fashion. "You said that more details would be given to me upon my next arrival to the office, which was scheduled for today at four o'clo– …" Shizuru's recalling of the conversation slowed as her eyes trailed to the center dashboard.

_**4:16pm.**_

_Oh shit._

"Oh my gosh, Mai, I'm so sorry! I really forgot, lots of things had happened today and I–"

"Shizuru, Shizuru! It's okay," the cheery response settled the brunette's stirring emotions, her grasp on her seatbelt lessening. "Besides, Natsuki hasn't even been confirmed yet for today's meeting." The previously settled emotions began to turn ferociously in Shizuru's stomach, making her wish she hadn't had the beef and beans lunch earlier today.

"N-Natsuki?"

"Yes, didn't I– ohhhh, I totally forgot!" Shizuru could imagine the redhead playfully tapping herself on the head, the gesture matching her childish admission to the information she never entailed. "Yes, today you're going to be meeting with her. I'm sorry I forgot to mention it. But as I said, I'm not even sure if she's going to be showing up today."

"S-Showing up? So am I going to be i-interviewing her or something? I thought that interns weren't allowed to do stuff like that?" Shizuru buzzed, her words racing out of her mouth.

"Well I _did_ say that Haruka was giving you a task that most interns only dreamed about."

"Ara, you never said that. You said I'd be doing things they don't usually have the opportunity to do," Shizuru steamed, her nerves driving the conversation.

"Close enough."

"Is everything alright?" Reito tuned in, Shizuru noticing they were approaching a stoplight. Covering the phone's mic, she faced him.

"Turn around."

Seeing the stern look from his girlfriend, the boy wordlessly obliged, moving the car to the far left lane at the last possible second, ignoring the few honks directed his way. He clicked his blinker on, waiting for the chance to make the U-turn. "Where to?"

Shizuru held up a finger while redirecting her attention on Mai, who just got finished saying something.

" – … so just come to my office."

"Okay," the girl gulped. "See you shortly."

* * *

Shizuru found herself running in hopes of saving time again that day, forcefully swinging open the glass front doors and dashing towards the corridor lined with elevators.

"Come on," she muttered to herself, pressing the circular button several times as if it would make the machine arrive quicker.

Left thumb tormented the right, swirling around its opposite to the beat of the brunette's foot tapping. _Now how in the heck could three elevators be so busy that it'd take five minutes… _the girl peered at her phone screen once again. Shizuru wasn't unaware of the door at the far end of the hall; on the trimming of the doorway was a small sign with an ascending stick figure. To say the brunette wasn't tempted would be a lie, but she wouldn't want to make a fool of herself by B lining to the stairs only to have the elevator arrive a second later. Instead she peered up at the illuminated screen above the metal doors, the number that had been on it since she first arrived remaining.

"Is this damn thing broken?" She voiced, sharing her annoyance with the walls. She pressed the button one last time before looking down the hall again. She wondered if she could've already made it to Mai's office if she didn't hesitate, but she wasn't sure. Maybe if she just waited a little while longer…

_**4:41pm**_

_Okay, obviously this isn't going to work._

When Shizuru had finally managed the seventh floor, stopping at the front desk to find out Mai's office was on the tenth, she really wished it _had _worked.

_I… I don't get paid enough for this._

The girl dragged herself up another two stairs, bearing her weight on the chipping metal rails.

_Actually, I don't get paid at all._

"Shizuru?"

The girl didn't bother to voice her arrival at the color-filled office, just throwing up her hand lazily and slumping on the door when she finally closed it behind herself instead.

"Wow, you look...," Mai trailed, placing a finger on her chin and searching internally for the right word.

"I know, I get it," Shizuru heaved, definitely not thinking she'd be this exhausted. But then again, the last time she'd taken PE was her freshman year of high school. She had only gone with Reito to the gym a few times since then just to make him happy. Oh, and for her own personal benefit of course. Who'd pass up eye candy like that?

"Oh, um… well do you need anything?"

"A-Ara… water would be nice."

"Right, of course," Mai smiled before rising from her desk. "Just stay here, I'll be right back with two bottles," the red head bounced passed her, Shizuru moving out of the way just enough for her to get by.

The girl had stayed resting against the cool wood for an extended moment, before the sight of a mirror on the far side of her room caught her gaze. She slowly made her way over, gasping lightly at the sight that awaited her.

Her hair had frizzed more than it did after the extensive brushing, stray pieces of hair jutting from left to right.

_There's no way I can have an interview looking like this._

The girl edged closer to the glass, noticing that the light makeup she applied this morning before rushing out had altered because of her moistened face. The girl retreated from the mirror, having seen enough.

When she faced the front of the room, her eyes attracted to a familiar page on Mai's laptop. She hastened back over, cracking the door open slightly just for her head to stick out and quickly scan the halls for any sign of the jeering redhead. When she saw nothing and failed to register the rhythmic heels, she softly closed the door, making her way over to the computer.

"Sorry," the girl whispered to herself more than to Mai, unsure if this was trespassing or not. When Shizuru finally realized it was the same profile she had looked at yesterday, she presumed that it was okay to look at it since she had already seen it before. Her eyes revisited the only image on the page. Shizuru seemed captivated by her blindingly emerald eyes; the color just as vibrant as the baby blue walls. Yet, unlike the room color, the eyes seemed warming, something about them settling the brunette. The girl forced herself to focus less on that one feature, taking in the girl's appearance wholly. She looked particularly young. Maybe eight or nine. Shizuru was no expert at age guessing, but the round features of her face and her cutely plump cheeks didn't scream anything above teen.

"Sorry that took so long, I ran into someone," the redhead entered without warning, causing Shizuru to jump from her chair.

"I-I was just looking at what you had pulled up already," Shizuru backed away hesitantly, unsure if the redhead would be angry over her intrusive actions.

"Natsuki's here." Mai stated calmly while handing the bottled water over, her words more chilling to Shizuru than the ice cold beverage. It would be like Mai to completely ignore the question though; the redhead was a little different in some regards.

"Here? As in _here_?" Shizuru pointed at the ground.

"Of course not, silly!" Mai grinned, her response greatly confusing the brunette.

"What? Well, if she's not here… then where is she?"

"She's at another center closer to her house. Plus I can't have you meeting with her directly; you're just an intern."

"But earlier, you made it seem like…," Shizuru trailed, guessing that Mai got her point with the nodding of her head.

"I guess I did, didn't I?"

_What the hell. _Shizuru just chalked it up as another strange perk of the other lady. Sometimes she could be serious, other times she was a little off like she was now – Shizuru just suspected she'd get used to it as time went by.

"So… then how will I be meeting with her then if she's not even here?" Shizuru's brows furrowed. A glint seemed to spark in the opposite woman's eyes.

"We have monitors set up in the briefing room. Come on!"

"Wait, what?"

* * *

Words of protest seemed to fail the brunette as she was being practically dragged through the halls. She could tell the redhead was excited, and only upon her arrival to the briefing room could she understand why.

Dozens upon dozens of monitors filled the girl's vision, each LCD screen boasting a different image of a place in Japan. Shizuru walked slowly past the high tech gear, noticing a few workers positioned in front of a single screen at what looked like stations. A number posted on the side of the monitor clarified her assumptions. Shizuru was afraid to step further into the room, as if she'd set off an alarm, until a warm breath met her ear.

"Desk eleven," Mai whispered, her voice a little closer than Shizuru expected. The girl nodded silently, stepping one foot in front of the other within the room. Everyone else already seated seemed so focused; Shizuru wasn't even sure if they noticed her come in.

"Desk eleven, it's behind that door in there."

"Huh?" Shizuru turned her head over her right shoulder, catching a glimpse of Mai's extended arm and following its direction to a grey door. Shizuru nodded once more before making her way past more screens and technology she couldn't even recognize; stuff she'd never seen being sold in stores.

"Impressed?" Mai remarked when they finally entered the room, which was actually pretty small compared to the one outside of it.

"You could say so. I thought your office was the best room in this place."

"If that's what you think, you'll stay being surprised," Mai smiled. "Take a seat," the redhead gestured towards a black desk chair that was positioned in front of another monitor. Shizuru had given the tiny space a once over before settling down, wondering why it was closed off from the other room in the first place.

"Wondering why this place is separate?" Shizuru could swear the redhead was a mind reader sometimes.

"Yeah."

"Well, the room you just came through isn't actually a briefing room; we just like to call it that rather than what it's actually called."

"What's it actually called?"

"Some unnecessarily long name that I didn't bother remembering when I heard people start calling it a briefing room," Mai said with a thoughtful expression, the brunette grinning at her reasoning.

"Okay… so then what's _this_ area?"

"Webcam room." The woman smiled, pointing to the mini camera and microphone that was attached to the side of the monitor through a USB port. Just then it dawned on Shizuru how she'd be reaching the girl.

"Wait, so can she hear us now?"

"You have to turn the program on first!" Mai chuckled. "The room out there is mostly for surveillance, by the way. And we have the two separated since loud talking during an investigation isn't exactly productive. But this is the only area in the building where all this technology can be sustained. Other areas of the building aren't really designated for this sort of thing. Or they don't have enough outlets." Shizuru laughed again, not sure if the redhead was making jokes on purpose or unaware that it was a joke at all.

Shizuru turned towards the equipment, tapping the microphone. "Do I need headsets, or…?"

"Well usually the answer would be yes, but I don't see the point in it since no one else is in here but you."

"Okay…" the girl lingered, feeling unprepared.

"I'll show you how to get everything running. It should only take a minute."

Shizuru sat watching, staring, more like it, at the screen while Mai showed her how to make sure every connection was running and other things she should probably take note on; however, the looming feeling in the pit of her stomach won most of her attention, her perspiring hands in second place.

_I don't even look right for this._ At the sudden thought the girl began pulling her hair back behind her ears, wiping her hands on her pants.

"Tokiha-san, I don't even know what to ask her."

Mai looked at the brunette from over her shoulder, her hand pausing from moving the wireless mouse.

"What's the first thing you do whenever you meet a stranger?" At the silent response, the redhead decided to continue. "Get to know her, Shizuru. It's not like we come right off the bat with detailed questions, geez…" the girl refocused back on the monitor, muttering something along the lines of _"this isn't Dr. Phil."_

"Besides, taking that approach to Natsuki wouldn't work."

"What?" Shizuru began to worry. What approach _would_ work?

"It's turning on," Mai backed up from the desk space, the lens focusing on Shizuru's presence; the monitor screen only showed her side of the webcam, the main screen a black void. "Don't worry; Natsuki's side should appear soon. And remember, just be natural about it. Get to know _her_ first, not her story. You'll have thirty minutes." Shizuru's mind began to race a hundred miles. First off, she wasn't worried about Natsuki's monitor appearing in the way Mai had mentioned it, she was worried about the entire thing: Natsuki's monitor appearing and her not knowing what to say. Mai's advice sounded great, but how great could it be if even Mai had trouble with cracking this girl's shell?

_How tough could a nine year old be?_

The main screen began flashing to life just before Mai had exited the doorframe, throwing in nothing more than a _"good luck!"_ before leaving the brunette alone to fend for herself. Thumbs were in motion. Shizuru hadn't remembered a time where she was this nervous since her first day of high school or college; even her first date with Reito couldn't shake a stick to the violent turning in her stomach right now.

As the screen flicked to life, Shizuru could make out a figure. Right now Shizuru wished she could flee the room, but she had to remind herself that she asked for this. _She _signed up for this. And she had promised herself that she wouldn't let herself down; now she couldn't just not let herself down, but she couldn't falter on Natsuki either; she had to help her too, if even more so than herself.

Shizuru's breathing hitched as the screen flickered less and less, getting more precise with each passing second. If only a moment later was the brunette's breathe taken away.

The rest of the room seemed to dull in comparison to what she was looking at. A part of the girl wanted to credit the HD monitor, but she knew that wasn't why.

So far away yet a mere foot in front of Shizuru was something, someone, rather she'd never expected. The girl was in awe of the princess-like beauty in front of her, her long, raven hair framing her face and her forest eyes bearing double the effect of the picture. In the depths of her mind, Shizuru cursed the faulty profile on Mai's laptop; nowhere had it mentioned that the said profile could've been outdated. Either that, or this was the wrong Natsuki Kuga. But the brunette highly doubted that.

_She could pass for my age._

The girl in the screen sat with arms folded, lips pursed as her hauntingly beautiful emerald eyes pierced through the screen; its glare never leaving Shizuru's. The brunette for a couple of seconds thought Mai had just changed screensavers.

Shizuru seemed to have forgotten her role in this whole ordeal, feeling more than contempt at just staring but reminding herself she was the one to be doing the talking.

"Uhh – uh," _wow, great job Shizuru_. Her opportunity to make a first impression and that's all she could muster up? For the first time the blunette's eyes moved, only for her to mockingly roll them. Shizuru, embarrassed, cleared her throat.

"H-hi, my name's Shizuru Fujino. It's nice to meet you, Natsuki." The brunette put on her biggest, most genuine smile she could muster. It was certainly countering the way her day had been going so far, but she felt the need to show the girl how much this meeting meant to her, even though she was terrified.

But instead of a regular greeting, the girl just sat there. Staring.

_Is she going to say _anything _back?_

Shizuru wasn't sure if she should restate herself or just continue on. The other girl's lackadaisical stare wasn't helping things either.

"So… um, what's your favorite color?" Shizuru smiled, her expression feeling a bit too unnatural since all she was getting back was a death glare. _What did I ever do to her?_ "Or do you not have a favorite color?" Once again, she received no response.

In the back of her mind Shizuru was thinking what could've possibly happened to make the girl like this. The next thought was: holy cow, no wonder no one could get anywhere with this girl. Shizuru had read about instances where the 'children' would be reluctant on speaking about certain things, but not _every_thing. The questions she was asking weren't invasive in the slightest bit.

"Uh… so is there anything you like in particular?" Shizuru looked at the time on the clock hanging just above the room's door. The session hadn't been going on for more than six minutes. What would twenty-four more minutes do?

"Okay then…," the girl sighed, feeling like she was talking to herself. "Let's see, things I like. Well, I like tea and art. Oh, and my favorite color… well, I don't exactly have one." Shizuru thought earnestly. If the girl decided to just sit there looking pretty, she'd have to fill the conversation herself. "My favorite food… maybe fish or pasta, but then again I could go for anything simple," Shizuru looked intently at the monitor, wondering if the girl had loosened up a little from her own admissions. "Do you have a favorite food?"

Silence loomed between them. _Okay, maybe not._

"Alright… is there anything you don't like then?"

"_You_," the girl said pointedly. Shizuru's heart sank at her words, but she kept telling herself that his girl had been damaged. That it wasn't her fault.

Shizuru fixated another smile, contradicting her quickly saddening emotions. "Okay, so if you have the ability to dislike something, I'm sure you're able to like something too, right? Tell me something you like."

The girl made no move to share anything.

"Go on," Shizuru prompted. Another five minutes went by with the two sitting like that, the brunette challenging the girl to speak up while the blunette's actions coerced her to stop trying.

Shizuru sighed before leaning back in the chair.

"Natsuki?"

Shizuru thought for a second that maybe her screen was lagging, because it was hard to believe the girl could really just sit there in the same position with the same disgusted expression for twenty minutes.

"Do you have any siblings? What about your parents?" The other girl's lips squeezed tighter together. "Do you want to hear about my parents?"

"No."

Even though each short answer shot a dagger in Shizuru's confidence, the girl thought it was better than no answer at all. But then again she had only gotten her to respond twice so far, which was as if she hadn't spoken at all.

The girls had sat in silence for a long time, Shizuru no longer having the will to fight against the girl's icy stare, the task draining her. The room was already tense enough; prolonged eye contact wouldn't serve as mediation.

Without warning, a buzzer of some sort sounded, Shizuru looking around before realizing the sound came from the monitor's speakers. Before she could question it, Natsuki's monitor had flashed out to white, pixelating to its former blackness.

_Oh. It's been thirty minutes. _

In a uniform manner, Mai appeared from outside the door, popping a mint in her mouth.

"That child profile's a lie," was the first thing Shizuru managed to get out after shutting down the monitor.

"About what? Everything written in the description's the truth."

"Yeah, maybe. Except for her age. How old is she?"

"I'm pretty sure she just turned seventeen. Want one?" Mai reached out her candy-filled palm as if she hadn't just clarified something important. Shizuru sighed. _I might as well_. Mai watched as the girl threw back the sweet, a new question at the tip of her tongue.

"So, how did it go?"

Shizuru exhaled and closed her eyes, searching for the right words to describe one of the most unbearable experiences of her life.

"That girl's a monster."

* * *

**A/N: Now I know I trolled at least **_**one**_** of you with Shizuru's "she looks eight or nine" line. Lolololol. **

**Anyways, yay! An uncharacteristically long chapter for you all! I apologize now for typos… it's so late, I've caught myself making mistakes left and right (even while writing this right now, lol). Review please! I have a clear path for this one! And I find it funny… my least seriously written story is the most popular; how did that happen? Well, please make this story popular as well, I'd love to share more with you. **

**P.S: I hate Reito.**

– **Ocha-chan**


	3. Just Give Me Time

**DISCLAIMER: Don't own MaiHiME, but I do own my ShizNat feelingsss :)**

* * *

Just Give Me Time

It had only taken a week. Seven days. One hundred sixty-eight hours. Ten thousand eighty minutes for Shizuru to realize that she had gotten herself into something she wasn't quite prepared for. It didn't take her long to understand why no one could deal with the blunette, and it also didn't take long for her to feel like giving up either.

_Maybe I should've listened to my parents after all._

The brunette girl rolled over on top of her bed sheets, her back exposed to the flat air. It turned out to be another unproductive afternoon with Shizuru asking the questions and receiving no answer whatsoever. Mai kept her distance again, only returning to the small room after the thirty minutes was up and proceeding to ask how everything went. At this point, it was becoming a bit aggravating to say the least.

The only thing good that happened to the girl the entire week was that she got her car back, meaning she didn't need the occasional car ride from her mother. _Or Reito…_ the girl sighed. The last time she saw the boy face to face was probably on Monday for all of thirty minutes. Since then the boy had made several claims on why he was so busy, explaining how he had to spend extra hours at med school to complete a project he was working on or that he was tutoring new students. Shizuru took every reason with a grain of salt, some rumors re-accumulating in the back of her mind. Instead of focusing on the hearsays, her mind drifted back to the emerald-eyed death stare, the blunette now having Shizuru not only concerned over her but herself as well. Was there something wrong with her? Did she not communicate well? Were her parents' accusations about her partaking in this field correct? Should she really just stop trying to prove her independence to herself and succeed to the wants of her parents? Would she really just go along with their plans for her? Was she destined to follow a scripted life until her death?

_Okay, Shizuru. STOP._

The girl sat up while exhaling deeply, her back resting against the stiff headboard. She gazed blankly at the picture-less flat screen television propped up on the wall only a few feet from the bed, and slowly the deadly quietness looming throughout the apartment seeped into her conscience. Shizuru hated silence. She felt that whenever she was in its presence her mind tended to overanalyze the stresses around her. And with the complications she faced from her parents, schoolwork, boyfriend, and, most of all as of late, Natsuki, she definitely didn't need that right now.

_I need to get out of here._

* * *

"Wow, it's been a long time since we've had a club date." The darker brunette yelled over the loud music that filled their ears once the two got past the bouncer. Kiyohime, the brunette's favorite hotspot since moving, had always been a city and tourist favorite, its pinkish-red illuminated sign drawing in countless numbers of people since its establishment.

"It hasn't been THAT long since we've last come here" Shizuru commented while watching the girl scope out the room like a lost puppy. The two were drawn to a booth on the outskirts of the dance floor. They were tended to quickly, though Shizuru was the only one to order.

"Yes it has. Did something happen?" Aoi finally asked after she was fully settled in her seat. The brunette averted her eyes when her friend set her gaze on her from across the small table.

"No… I just need the alcohol," the girl could barely hear herself over the pulsating music, which served as another bonus for why the club was a good spot for her tonight. "Reito had told me once before about this new drink they were serving. Apparently it has this exotic–"

"Shizuru." The girl interrupted. She cradled her face in her hands, her elbows on the wooden top supporting her position.

"What?" The brunette couldn't stand that 'all-knowing' smile smear across her opposite's features. "Seriously, what?"

"You're not telling me something."

"About the drink?" The girl thought on the spot. "Yeah, you're right. I heard it was first sold in bars in Fran–"

"No. About _why_ you need the drink." Aoi's blue eyes shimmered, knowing she just broke the core of the girl's front when the brunette seemed to shoot a look of anxiety. "Just tell me Shiz, you act like we haven't known each other since primary school or something." _She's right…_

"But don't you get bored of me complaining abou– ara, thank you," Shizuru smiled at the man who arrived at their booth and set her drink on the table, his eyes lingering a little too long on the girl before he made his way back behind bar.

"Don't drink that," Aoi coerced, placing a hand over the brunette's. "Come on." Before she could even get a sip, the brunette felt her whole body being dragged away from her seat.

"W-What? But wait, I paid for that!"

* * *

"Where are we going?" Shizuru asked, her voice low. Two sets of feet padded against a cracking concrete road, its surface still moist from the rain that morning. The brunette's eyes skipped from house to house aligning the edge of the roadway, noting that she'd never traveled through this neighborhood before. The brunette looked ahead of her to her friend, the situation reminding her of a certain redhead and undecorated halls.

"Um, nowhere in particular," Aoi responded lightheartedly.

"Aoi," Shizuru increased her pace until she was shoulder-to-shoulder with the shorter girl. "You interrogate me, drag me out the club, guide me through some backwoods street and _then_ tell me that it was for no reason?"

"Shizuru." The girl stopped in her tracks. "Do you remember when I first met you?"

How could the brunette forget. It was her last year of primary school when Aoi moved to Kyoto, the hype over a city girl coming to the school unfailing to reach everyone's ears. Every school boy seemed to have high hopes, developing their premature crushes days before the blue-eyed girl's arrival; school girls had already began writing down their introductions, all competing to see who would be the new girl's first friend. Shizuru just watched contently over her classmates, confused as to how one girl could stir up so much fuss in every classroom.

"…_Mommy and daddy have city people over our house all the time." _The girl thought aloud while sipping on her juice box.

"_Well Shizuru, not everyone can be all rich and spoiled like you!" _One of the girls said, not hiding her statement from the others in the class.

All too well Shizuru remembered how she used to be treated by some of the same kids that tried talking to her in middle and high school, even up into college. During those years is when her beauty really blossomed; when she was finally able to shine in academics and sports, becoming everyone's idol. Though the brunette wouldn't be afraid to admit that she was an introvert as a young child – her parents were constantly working, and she never managed to invite anyone over; no wonder she had a hard time speaking to others. All the kids judged her and grew jealous of her quickly, believing that she didn't speak because she viewed them lower, taking note of the fancy cars she arrived to school in instead of the bus, and the gourmet meals she brought for lunch. But that didn't stop the brunette from trying occasionally.

She offered some of the girls that lived nearby a ride to school; she even gave a boy half of her lunch because he forgot his. Yet those efforts seemed to be in vain when the same people she helped would turn their back on her for their other friends.

That is why Shizuru could never forget.

It was a regular, spring day. To her classmate's ignorance, Shizuru only took the limo to school during the winter and not because she wanted to show off her parents' wealth. Actually, it was her parents who forced her into the rides which she never tried bragging about, though she didn't care to tell her schoolmates that. If they wouldn't listen before, why would they listen during the last year?

The brunette was walking to school that morning, enjoying the light breeze and faint scent of flowers that spawned from the cherry blossom trees decorating the road's edge. It was beautiful. Everything was so beautiful that Shizuru seemed to lose herself, temporarily forgetting that she was on her way to school – that she was even a student, and become one with the scenery, melting into that harmonious image.

"_E-Excuse me?"_

If it weren't for her eyes catching the sight of a delicately falling pink petal, the brunette didn't think she'd ever notice the smaller girl a few feet behind her. Scarlet orbs fell upon the crystal eyed girl whose hands trembled on her canvas bag's strap.

"_Do you g-go to Hanabira Primary School?"_

Shizuru looked from the girl's hands to her plump face, her accent taking her aback slightly. She had never heard one like it before, as it was different from the international businessmen from London and New York and Seoul that held conferences in her parents' home office. She would often eavesdrop, picking up a few words here or there.

"_Yes, I do. …My name's Shizuru, by the way."_ The girl introduced herself as calmly as possible, knowing how she usually comes across to her classmates. Her spirit lightened up, however, when she saw a shimmer in the other girl's eyes, her features brightening.

"_Shizuru… that's a pretty name_," she smiled, _"My name's Aoi." _She stated cheerily, walking up and reaching out her hand with a slight hesitation. Shizuru glowered at the outstretched palm; she couldn't believe what was happening. This was definitely not how things at school usually went for her.

"_Ookini, Aoi-chan," _She enveloped the girl's hand, returning her smile which became altered with confusion.

"_O-Ookini..?" _The girl repeated, her brows furrowing. Something just then registered to Shizuru, who seemed unnoticing the entire time. _Oh, so SHE'S the city girl! So that means…_

"_Ara, I mean arigato," _she shot an apologetic expression to the girl, scratching the back of her head.

"_Kannin-na, it's okay. I'm still not that used to the country," _the shorter girl smirked, grinning at the surprised look on Shizuru's face.

_Oh, so she already knew… smarty pants._

That morning the two walked to school side by side, not saying much other than small talk. Though when the brunette finally walked passed those front doors, every bit of social confidence and security she had while conversing with Aoi dissipated, and her usual demeanor resettled. Shizuru took one last look at Aoi, who was rummaging through her bag for a school map and class schedule, before turning on her heel, knowing that she'd ought to not be seen with the girl – she didn't want the other kids to associate her with herself.

It had been ten minutes into Shizuru's first class of the day when a fist rapping the classroom door caught everyone's attention; everyone knew that it was only on special occasions when someone knocked on the door since the principal focused on education without disruption, so they knew – they expected what would happen to come.

The sound of moving desks and chairs overwhelmed the brunette's ears before the sight her classmates, who straightened themselves up in their seats, had been looking forward to all week played out.

"_Class, we have a new student here from Tokyo. Please welcome her."_

The gasps and whispered compliments over the incomer's appearance annoyed the brunette. _They only want to befriend her because she's pretty. And from the city._ Shizuru didn't bother tearing her gaze from the window even when the unfamiliar accent echoed in the silent class as the girl introduced herself. Shizuru already knew what would be coming next.

"_So, Aoi-chan, where would you like to sit? I'm afraid there's only one vacant seat in the back of the classroom near the window, but I'm sure one of your new classmates wouldn't mind you switching spots with–"_

"_Shizuru."_

The brunette only noticed her name had actually been called when every eye in classroom was set on her.

"_I want to sit next to Shizuru."_

"Shizuru?"

The girl came off track from memory lane as she took notice of her unconsciously growing smile; she then became aware of the hint of concern laced in her friend's features, probably due to her spacing out. Shizuru re-immersed herself in their conversation, though images of more than a decade ago still flashed in her mind.

"Kannin-na… and of course I do, but why–"

"When I saw you staring at the cherry blossom trees, my heartbeat increased and I thought, _'wow, she's so beautiful like that, in that peaceful moment.'" _Catching the raised eyebrow, the blue eyed girl felt the need to clarify herself. "But not in _that_ way… come on Shizuru, you know I never liked you like that. Plus you're not my type anyway."

Shizuru laughed at the girl's defensive state, her snickering becoming even louder with that last statement. The brunette had known the girl was a lesbian when she came out halfway through middle school, though it never bothered her. Aoi had admitted to it rather nonchalantly, so it was never made a big deal out of in the first place.

"I know, I know. I just think it's funny seeing you argue back like that."

"Ha ha ha, Shizuru. Way to shoot down my meaningful praise. _As I was saying_," the girl began to walk again, her hands connecting behind her back, "remembering seeing you like that made me think that instead of downing countless amounts of alcohol or trying to push back everything in your mind like you've always done, maybe it'd be best to take a walk. Besides, I've never seen you more content than in that moment," Aoi reminisced, her words slightly echoing into the night.

"…And I know the dreary houses and barely lit street hardly constitutes for cherry blossoms and trickling river water, but it's not bad to try something. Plus you've got me," the girl piped up, making Shizuru crack a smile. "So just spill the beans."

"Ookini, but… ara … I don't even know where to start," the girl sighed.

"Start with something easy."

_What's easy anymore?_

"Mom and dad, but that's a usual. Dad had called me yesterday, telling me that I need to start preparing my wedding and getting together ideas and whatnot, but I'm not even sure I want to marry him." A mocking laugh erupted from the girl next to her as they walked.

"Sorry, but I know I wouldn't want to. And not just because I'm gay."

Shizuru gave a lopsided smirk. "Why do you say that then?"

She listened to the subtle breaths of her opposite for a few seconds, taking in the slight scenery change when they walked by a newer looking neighborhood.

"…I dunno, he just seems… he seems _too_ perfect for me. I mean, _supposedly_ hot, medical school student, successor to a major company, there's too much value in that! He's got to have at least _one_ flaw that you haven't, and maybe don't want to, find out yet. And no, I'm not jealous."

Shizuru thought over the flaw comment. What exactly would it be? Now that she thought about it, the two years she had been together with Reito, everything felt too good to be true. He _had_ always remained the same, and never once did they have a serious fight. She thought that was how relationships were normally, and she felt in love enough. Enough to continue on with him up until this point when rumors first started.

"I guess you hit problem number two on the head. Reito and I… I still love him I think, but I'm just not sure what's going on. I feel like our relationship is flat–"

"Really?! Thank _God_ you finally realized!" The girl suddenly exclaimed, her hands over her head. "If someone was to draw your relationship on a graph, it would be a straight line."

"Okay, it hasn't been _that_ bad," Shizuru found herself defending Reito.

"But you must admit it hasn't been that _good_ either. You've said it before yourself," the girl wiggled her brows, causing the scarlet orbed girl to laugh at the double meaning, her eyes forming crescents.

"Okay, okay you won."

"That wasn't even a difficult battle, Shizuru… on to problem three?"

As soon as 'problem three' escaped Aoi's lips, a certain blunette encompassed Shizuru's mind. Where should she begin with this one?

"Ara, bet you'll have a difficult time with problem three though."

"Na ah, try me."

The girls' feet switched from asphalt to a concrete sidewalk as they strode by a small flower shop. This part of town was obviously exempt from the hustle and bustle of the large city, Shizuru unaware that there was ever such a region. All of the street signs and corner shops she recognized were passed a long time ago.

"It's about my internship… about Natsuki," Shizuru had already explained to Aoi earlier on in the week what was going on; she knew about the internship way beforehand though when Shizuru finally found the opportunity. Aoi knew for a while that the brunette had a soft spot for those who were like her as a kid and even somewhat now – introverts, isolated, or not in control of their own life, that last particular reason applying most to Shizuru's adult self.

"Is she still not talking?"

"Worse – she's not even glaring at me anymore. It feels like I'm wasting my time, Aoi. And the worst part of all is that… I'm actually starting to think my parents were right. They were right, Aoi."

"Now Shizuru, how would you know that when, from my understanding, you've only been there for like… three days."

"A week," Shizuru corrected.

"Because that's so much different than three days."

"Not the point. All I'm saying is that I feel like I'm proving them right, and proving myself wrong each time I step into that webcam room."

"But tell me one thing – have you given up yet?"

Shizuru slowed her pace, stopping with her left foot firmly on the ground and her right lightly tapping a crevasse on the sidewalk.

"Well, no, but–"

"Then there's nothing to worry about."

* * *

"Time's up."

Metal screeched on tile as students got up from their seats to hand in their tests. With her last class and test of the day over, Shizuru made her way from the teacher's desk and out into the hall, not sure if she should be looking forward to or dreading the rest of her afternoon. That morning she had felt pretty confident after her chat with Aoi last night, though now she wasn't really sure.

"Shizuru, how do you think you did?" The brunette turned her head towards the voice only to spot Kazuya Kurauchi a few paces behind.

"Hm, I think I did well."

"Of course," he said with a smirk. "Miss Class Prez. Oh, and Akane wanted to know if you'd be going to the diner after school? Her and a few other girls said they missed your company at their study group. To be honest," the boy said in a hushed voice, "I just think they want to brag that they're studying with you. But don't tell Akane that."

"Ara, I won't," the girl waved her hand, dismissive of the idea. "But do tell them that I probably can't attend the study sessions until the semester's over."

"R-Really?" The boy's eyes widened. Though he didn't admit it to others, he also used his girlfriend's study group notes. "Why?"

"I-I have a job." The girl clutched her bag tighter, quickening and increasing the length of her strides in order to evade the questioning she expected from the boy next. Unfortunately, Kazuya kept up the pace.

"_You _have a job?" He remarked, his tone obviously in disbelief.

"Yes, which I'm actually going to be late for if I don't get going now. Bye Kazuya," the girl managed while swiftly maneuvering to her car in the student parking lot, heading out to her next destination before her classmate could get another word in.

* * *

… _Maybe I should've talked to Kazuya longer,_ the girl thought while staring at the monitor before her, finding herself in the same situation as the days before. It had been five minutes into the session already, Mai coaxing the girl to keep trying before she started – saying that her efforts actually mattered. The girl was beginning to doubt this though as what she expected to pan out was occurring: her not knowing what else or _how_ else to ask the blunette about herself without receiving a muted answer or paid no attention to at all.

Shizuru had already tried multiple approaches; even asking about the information Mai relayed to her a couple of days ago regarding the girl's age. After learning that the girl's profile showed a younger version of herself because she's been in the system for a couple of years, Shizuru tried asking Natsuki about her childhood. This really seemed to turn off the blunette, who grimaced, at what – Shizuru had no clue, but since then Natsuki had refused to make eye contact.

Shizuru remembered herself telling the girl that actually speaking with each other would make things easier for them both, but the brunette soon learned that an indirect eye roll hurt as much as one straight to her face.

"Nothing to ask?" Shizuru could've sworn that voice was her own conscience if it weren't for the husky tone the question was delivered in. "Why do you keep trying anyway?" The brunette's eyes grew, realizing that was the first complete sentence she heard the girl utter. Well, second.

Shizuru seemed stunned beyond belief – she had finally gotten the girl to say something.

"Do I need to repeat myse–"

"N-No…," Shizuru waved off the idea, her hands returning to her lap, thumbs fiddling. "…And because I have to." _I have to help you._

"Or what, you won't get paid?" _Paid? _Shizuru's brow furrowed as she tried to process why exactly Natsuki was bringing up such a thing.

"What? No–"

"It's okay, you don't have to lie. You're like everyone else, in it for the money or a promotion. You don't really want to help me. I already know that people think I'm some kind of hard ass. You look young – I bet you took this job because you thought you'd get a promotion or something if I cracked. Well you're fucking wrong if that's what you thought. So you can go fu–"

"Wait, hold on. You've got it all wrong." The brunette tried to cool off the other girl's growing steam, though her efforts seemed to be in vain.

"I've got it wrong? Please explain then, even though I've been here longer than anyone else has. I know the system, and I fucking hate it. If you guys really cared about me, I wouldn't still be here, now would I? I've tried everything I could to talk about what I've been through, but you all never understood. No one ever believed me. Why should I think you're any different than the rest of your coworkers?"

"Well, I… I…," Shizuru felt her voice slowly crawl from her throat, losing all her will to speak. She couldn't take the infuriating glare the girl had – the slightly crystalized glaze over her eyes as if she was refraining from pouring out tears. It hit a spot in the brunette's heart, one she rarely felt aware of.

_She's been hurt._

_And if she's already been failed by so many, I don't want to become a part of that list._

"Just give me three months."

"What?" The emerald eye girl was a little beyond confused, not exactly understanding the response. "Are you being cocky or something?"

"No, my internship lasts for three more months. Just let me help you for three months, and I promise I'll make things better."

"Hold on… you're an_ intern_? W-What are you trying to sa–" before the blunette could finish, the screen went into its usual flickering mode, reminding the two girls of a thing called time, something Shizuru actually hadn't been clocking this session. She herself was blatantly surprised.

Shizuru grabbed for the mouse, trying to do anything to keep the webcam going.

_Ara, I really should have paid attention to Mai when she first explained this damn thing!_

"H-Hey, I wasn't finished talki–!"

"Natsuki, I'm trying," Shizuru whipped her head around, desperately hoping that she'd catch a glimpse of the redhead outside the door. After a few seconds of waiting for what never came, the brunette swung the swivel chair back towards the monitor, black heels sweeping across the floor to meet an equally black screen.

"Damn this stupid program!" The girl groaned, laying back in the cushioned seat exasperatedly, her head hanging over the backrest. She closed her eyes and ran a moist hand through her scalp, savoring the image of the fair skinned girl in her mind, how rewarding it felt to hear her husky voice through the desk speakers rather than the computer's monotone humming she'd become accustom to.

"I'm guessing things didn't go well this time either?"

Shizuru didn't have to open her eyes to know who else was now occupying the room; the minty scent gave it away anyhow. Shizuru mockingly chuckled, bringing her palm to cover her already closed eyelids. It didn't come without thought how the redhead would always be outside the room a few minutes earlier on other days, but the one time when Shizuru was actually looking for her she arrived late. The brunette drug her delicate fingers down the rest of her face, her fingers tracing the curve of her nose and lips before reaching her chin. She let her hand fall to her side before opening her eyes. "Actually it went a lot better."

"Really?" The redhead leaned against the door frame, her arms folded across her chest while her mouth had its way with two mint flavored Tic Tacs. "I thought she still wasn't talking?"

"Would you be surprised if I told you she said she wasn't done talking with me– M-Mai?" Shizuru arose from her chair at the sound of choking, the officer buckled over coughing. Shizuru was about to start patting her back, though a small hand stopped her efforts.

"I-I'm fine," the girl patted her own chest before swallowing heavily. "I think I should stick to regular… regular sized mints," she said strained, clearing her throat.

"I think so too," Shizuru settled back into the chair, sitting on its edge.

"But still, I'm seriously surprised! It only took a week for her to talk to you – what did you do?"

_**Only **__a week?_

Shizuru thought about why the girl spoke up in the first place, but thought it wouldn't be best to describe to Mai how much Natsuki hated the protective service members and all the explicit words that went along with that outburst. So she decided on a response much simpler.

"I made a promise."

* * *

**A/N: A brief chapter I had sitting on my laptop for a little more than a week. Please review! Come on silent readers, I know you're out there! Please review too :3**

**- Ocha-chan**

**P.S: I totally forgot to explain this!: 'Author-san, how could you hate Reito with so many ReiShiz scenes'?! Well... that will explain itself in due time *evil grin***


	4. Playing Games

**DISCLAIMER: I wish I owned Mai HiME, but wishes don't always come true. It's a good thing I own this story though.**

**A/N: Parts of this will feature flashback dialogue, which will look like this: **_**"…." Or **__"…" _**(they are both italicized, though one is bold). As third person switches perspective, the bold will be for the OTHER person. So if third person is following Natsuki, Shizuru's flashback dialogue will be bold, and vice versa. Hope this helps you understand. On to the chapter!**

* * *

Playing Games

Rocks skid across the outer flesh of the river banks, hopping until they slowed considerably quickly, the river consuming the object as it did the fish and other organisms within it. The pale being along the river's edge sighed when her next rock didn't go nearly as far, the river almost anxious to swallow it whole, the lifeless thing only bouncing twice on the water's face before taking a plunge. The almost colorless girl frowned when her next throw mimicked its previous one and the one after that and so forth. She closed her eyes during her next throw, not needing to see the rock sink, the disruption of the water's outermost surface going mute after two small interruptions.

_I… I can't remember?_

The girl picked up another miniature bolder, lodging it between her thumb and index and middle fingers. She squeezed her eyes shut, finding the black nothingness, the vast imaginary world created by her eyelids, rather blank despite how full they were with vividness during the nighttime, during her nightmares. The crackle of sediments sounded as the girl cocked back, her worn shoes sweeping the ground, anger settling in her pores from her lack of ability. From her body's unwillingness to correctly launch the rocks over the river's mirroring face. From her mind's un-recallable state, as if her memories were recorded on cassettes and someone was slowly pulling out the tape. Her balled fist was now just in front of her earlobe, a breeze whistling past as the girl chucked with the upmost force the rock into the river, watching it almost immediately sink just like the rock it was.

"Fuck!" Another rock was sent flying, as if it were chasing after the others to save them from their drowning fate.

Long strands of raven hair spilled over the girl's hoodie as she crouched on the sandy banks in defeat, her arms wrapping around her knees in a fetal position.

_I am forgetting._

The blunette just dreaded the day when she'd finally have to admit to herself she had completely forgotten how to skip rocks, something else to add to her collection of a forgotten childhood. Natsuki hated being seventeen. It was almost like being a fourth grader again; old enough to not be as understood by the other youngsters but not quite able to feel the dominance of a fifth grader, who was about to move on to the next step of their lives in middle school. It was like a mid-life crisis – still trying to cling onto the little things that made one feel like themselves before they'd have to admit to that they could no longer run like they used to, that they had to act against their willpower and rest more often, that their memories were degrading away like the ashes of a burned photo. It made her gravely aware of the adulthood that awaited her, but also heightened her senses to the childlike qualities that were being left behind.

Being seventeen just added another year onto the girl's already seemingly long, miserable life. She felt like every year that added on took off one from the beginning, essential moments the blunette shared with certain people as a child leaving her, like most things, _people_, in her life did. A hot tear rolled down a cool face, the anger over the day's fleeting memory soon turning into sorrow for her own being. Natsuki had no shame in feeling sorry for herself – no one else felt sorry for her. Besides, it had been Natsuki and herself for a long time. If anything, the saying 'me, myself, and I' fit the blunette the best, almost as if the person behind it had known the girl.

Emerald eyes peered at sculpted hands, examining each and every groove, her fingerprints, the specks of dirt trapped in every crevasse. _These hands… do less every day._ Her fingers curled into her palms slowly, as if the girl was making sure they even worked. Another anguished tear escaped the girl's eyes, forcing the first shed to roll quickly down her small face, rolling off her chin and into her hand. Natsuki couldn't stop herself. Soon tear after tear fell from those eyes, those dazzling emeralds glazed over.

Curled fingers balled into shaky fists before the girl agonizingly drug them into the sand, letting her emotions slowly trickle out. She was crying for herself. She was crying for those she lost, for the memories she lost. She even felt like some of her tears were in tribute to the beautiful brunette that would have to put up with her for the next three months.

"_**Let's start over?"**_

"…_Okay."_

Her own voice echoed in her head, the conversation from today's session on repeat. At this, she slammed her hand into the dirt. She was already regretting her slow openness towards the woman. _I'm an idiot._ Dark circles formed in the ground where tears repeatedly fell. _I shouldn't have voiced my anger before. Shouldn't have…_ The girl lost herself for a moment, her body washing with anxiety. She had learned long ago that a pretty face didn't always reassure a happy ending. It could only make you feel good for that one moment, that one minute, hour, day.

"_So… you're not getting paid?"_

"_**No."**_

"_Then why are you doing this?"_

"_**Because I want to help you". **_

You felt good briefly, like the world couldn't shake a stick at you. And then it was gone. Reassurance was gone swift and fierce, like the end of a caffeine high.

A pretty face, a relaxing voice. Brown hair that framed the face perfectly. A tender smile and warm, rich red-brick eyes. Those features had greeted the girl from Monday to Thursday every afternoon. When Natsuki first bestowed upon the sight, she almost gaffed, seeing the rather attractive and seemingly nice woman as another strategy, and at first, it sickened her. Every smile on her face, her thick accent, her simple, un-intrusive questioning made the blunette's stomach turn. What could this be? A new plan for a pay raise, promotion, recognition? When Natsuki had lashed out the week before, she hadn't even grazed the outer layer of her real anger, her actual pain. No words known to man could describe her true grief. Those people who were supposed to help her used her like toilet paper, one look and then tossed. They looked past her bruised body, the cuts and scratches almost as if they weren't even there. The childish pleads for help seemed to be exactly what they were – childish and not taken seriously. When Natsuki first entered this psychology game, at the age of seven, she didn't know what she was doing. She may have been a player, but she was the only one getting played, now that she looked back on it. Every perk of the system after that, Natsuki learned it. She studied it, devised a plan, stuck with her plan. Why did people think she was such a hard ass? Because she became one, her soft, vulnerable, ignorant youth being locked away, accustomed to the game of the adults.

But the brunette didn't appear interested in games.

"_Your internship…"_

"_You said to give you three months. Is your internship over then?"_

"**Yes… and last time we spoke, I was serious. Three months – that's all I'm asking for. And if I don't manage to help you by then,"** a solemn smile grew on the brunette's face, **"then you'd have every right to hate me."**

The words sounded trustworthy, but that was also part of the game. The game which Natsuki could win over and over again blindfolded. The teen saw the help she was trying to be given useless anyway. She was seventeen now, that ungodly number making things more dreadful for the girl, but the fact needed to be faced. She was almost an adult. She had been in the system for nearly ten years. Natsuki didn't see why she needed the help now. If this was the department's new strategy, then the girl had to admit it was working, because she was utterly confused.

"**Well… since I was asking all the questions for the past week, it's your turn now. What do you want to know?"**

"_I… I want to know what you're doing here."_

"_Why are you responsible for me, when you don't even work here?"_

"…**I can't really give you an exact answer.** **The head of this department is the person who gave me the task of speaking with you."**

The brunette seemed confused herself. But then again, she could be lying. If her bruises were labeled, Natsuki was sure to have a couple yellow and purple spots with 'lie' written across them. Natsuki was no stranger to its presence.

"Natsuki."

"Natsuki!" When the girl turned, a fierce slap met her face, the rough hand ripping away her thoughts and causing her to lose balance and fall back into the mud. She knew who this was. The girl didn't make a sound; she didn't bother to protest, the slap as common as a handshake for her. It didn't even hurt anymore.

"Get in the car."

Wordlessly, she stood, brushing the back of her pants. She didn't care to wipe away her tears, letting her puffy eyes and streaked face show as vividly as the ocean blue.

"Hurry up!"

Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she paced her way to the luxury vehicle, listening intently to the crunching under her feet, the sounds of the riverside animals calling out her name. She steadied her senses on everything but the man in front of her, now focusing on the metallic taste inside her mouth. Her teeth clenched down on her tongue, keeping her from retorting. Not to the slap, but the second demand. _She_ needed to hurry? Her and Shizuru's conference ended almost three hours ago, the girl having wadded down to the small bank behind the communications center after standing in the front parking lot for two hours. Natsuki knew though – the only reason the man who was legally her father agreed to these conference calls was to keep his name clear. It had worked before; the blunette had a hard time believing it wouldn't work again.

As the lustrous car drove away, the backside of the building overshadowed it symbolically, almost representing in plain sight the blind eye those people gave her. The blind eye that resulted to her still being in the situation she was in. Natsuki would probably admit in a heartbeat she had lost the entirety of her faith already. Though a part of her wanted to still believe.

* * *

"Yeah, and then after I asked her for the scalpel, her eyes went wide. She didn't make a move, so I said again 'I know you have the scalpel, Ms. Jun.' Then out of nowhere, she starts tugging on her hair and it all just comes off!" Laughter fills the deluxe dining room, the voices of Shizuru's parents and boyfriend reaching beyond the crystal chandelier that hung overhead.

"Ara, and what – what did you do next?" The darker brunette giggled her way through the question.

"I just asked her what she was doing, and she burst into tears! Apparently she had to shave her head after getting some chemical in her hair and thought I said 'I know about your scalp'!" Shizuru watched as her dad slapped his open palm onto the maple tabletop in complete laughter, her mom holding her stomach and Reito wiping at his eyes. A smile graced Shizuru's face as well, finding the sight before her heartwarming even though she didn't quite find the joke as funny; however, another conversation kept tugging on her mind.

"_**No way, YOU listen to rock?"**_

Bright eyes flashed in Shizuru's mind, the forest green gaze softer than when she first laid eyes upon it.

All night, it seemed, the brunette's mind had been drifting off to her 'patient', the girl she was meeting with glee nowadays compared to the tense first week she experienced. The second week of appointments was almost over, the crimson eyed girl reminding herself it was already Wednesday.

"Shizuru?"

"Yes?" She looked up towards her father, his meticulous gaze upon her as his jade eyes examined her from the head of the table.

"I asked how school was. We haven't spoken in person for a while now, almost two weeks," he sipped some of the deep red liquid from his wine glass, steady hands soundlessly placing it back on the silk tablecloth.

"It's fine," the girl found herself swirling the little amount of wine she had left in her cup, watching the small typhoon swirl in the bottom of her glass.

"Fine?" Plates clinked as a man dressed in all black scooted a stainless steel cart towards the seated couples, an assortment of cakes on the trays. A small group of maids came out from the restaurant-like kitchen, grabbing emptied and stacked plates from the table.

"Would you like a refill?" Shizuru peered over her shoulder, another black suited man who appeared to be in his thirties gesturing towards the nearly empty cup in her hands. The brunette's eyes swept over the other patrons at the table before responding, everyone seemingly busy getting acquainted with dessert.

"Ara, sure. But I'll get it myself."

"U-Uh, Fujino-san, I insist," the girl smiled, a delicate hand silencing his protest.

"Is the bottle in the kitchen?"

"Y-Yes," he stammered, his eyes warily reaching her parents' figures before resting once more on her face. "As soon as you enter, look towards the shelf on your right. Third shelf from the bottom, first bottle from your left."

"Ookini," she smiled at him, sweeping her hand over the back of her black high-low dress as she rose from her seat. "I'll be right back." She took this chance as an escape from her father's questions, knowing that the simple 'how are things' would turn into an invasive interrogation over who knows what.

Following the man's directions, scarlet eyes easily found the bottle, reading over its label. _Hmm, I knew it was Chianti._ Suddenly feeling uneager to consume more wine, Shizuru took to the cupboards, looking for a beverage much simpler.

"Uh, miss? May I help you?"

"No, it's fine," Shizuru responded without turning her head to face the maid. She never liked the idea of hired help in the first place, so she felt the need not to rely on the unfortunate workers. Depending on memory, Shizuru ripped through the cabinets. Images of a much younger Shizuru peeping into the kitchen, watching her mother reach into a cabinet for a certain box crossed her mind. She remembered when she would pull out a stool after her mother returned to her work with a steaming cup in hand, standing on her tippy toes in attempt to reach the cabinet herself. Those were the days when her parents were a bit more self-sufficient, relying on their own capabilities a bit more and able to prepare their own meals occasionally. It was when Shizuru first entered middle school; her parents finally finished remodeling the kitchen, hiring chefs part-time to work in the house, even though the meals they often ate and the ones Shizuru brought to school were catered. Shizuru didn't know what had gotten into her parents as the years went on. Flipping through old picture books, the two were simply kids in college, working after class to pay off their debts they knew they'd have from student loans. Neither of them knew they'd become owners of probably the largest company in Japan, but that wasn't what was on their mind then. They were taking each day as it came, but now it seemed as if they had every event for the future charted on a graph – their daughter's marriage, Reito taking over the company and their retirement were only a few bullet points. And although Shizuru didn't mind the gourmet meals, she just didn't like the feeling of the house anymore, all of these strangers cleaning and preparing food.

_It used to be in these cabinets, I remember. _Even though the kitchen was vastly different, some aspects of it were the same. She hoped her mother's storage habits were the same too. Shizuru crouched to the lower cabinets, her bottom lightly grazing the back of her heels. Scarlet orbs skimmed the shelves, a sigh escaping full, pink lips when the tea box she was looking for was nowhere in sight.

"_**What kind of tea?" **_Natsuki had asked out of the blue.

"_Huh?"_ The girl didn't understand where the blunette was coming from.

"**We're still talking about things you like, right? Before you said you liked tea, what kind?"**

Shizuru couldn't ignore the warm sensation that spread through her fluttering chest at the girl's recollection. _She… she listened. _She credited the feeling to being impressed that the girl actually remembered their conversation from their first meeting; maybe she wasn't just staring at her with disinterest that afternoon like the brunette thought – she had actually paid attention.

"_**Shizuru?"**_

"_Jasmine tea,"_ a wide smile stretched on her face. _"That's my favorite."_

"Shizuru?" The masculine voice cast away her memory from earlier that afternoon, her conversation with Natsuki fading to nothing.

Her gaze darted to the source of the voice, spotting the black haired boy's head peeking in behind one of the kitchen's double doors.

"Aren't you coming back to dinner?"

"Y-Yes," the girl stood abruptly, clutching her glass from the granite countertop she left it on. "I was looking for some wine I wanted to share with mom and dad. Couldn't find it," she lied.

Somehow the brunette managed to evade her father's questioning for the rest of the night, her boyfriend holding much of her parents' attention over a few drinks, another hour flashing by in a heartbeat.

"It was great having you over, son," the greyed chestnut haired man patted Reito on his back as he slipped through the front door, Shizuru a few steps ahead of him. "And tell your old man to drop by for dinner too sometime. He knows he's welcome in the Fujino home."

"I will, sir." He gave the older man a curt nod, approaching the woman next to him and pecking her cheek. "Have a goodnight, Shizuma-sa–"

"I told you, my first name is fine," Shizuru turned in time to see her mother's signature smile, happy that her parents enjoyed her boyfriend so much but kind of disappointed too. _They didn't ask how my internship was going. They only listened to Reito. _"And Shizuru, sweetie, give me a call tomorrow morning when you get the chance. One of our investors wants to meet you."

"Okay, mom."

Car doors slammed shut once the couple finally settled themselves within Reito's coupe, Shizuru's gaze set on her boyfriend waving back at her parents who were cheesing widely in the front door.

"…They really love you," Shizuru murmured, more for her own ears, her tone sullen.

"And I love you," Reito overheard the remark, but interpreted it differently. Lips captured lips in a brief kiss, leaving the brunette a little startled. The boy failed to read the uncomfortable look on the girl's face before putting the key in the ignition, the engine roaring to life. Shizuru relied on staring out the window, like she had so many other car rides. "I can't wait to lead the company with you, babe. We're going to make it so much better, so much stronger. We can build on the successful industries your parents have developed, possibly expand it into the medical field that my family reigns as well."

"Mmm," Shizuru hummed, her elbow against the door and her palm covering her mouth. Did no one understand her? Did they care to comprehend the fact that she did not want to be part of the family corporation at all, that that's why she was determined to change her course in college before her sophomore year was over? Right now she was majoring in business and economics, but that's not what she wanted to be doing. She wasn't enjoying the classes for her major, and just happy she snagged a psychology class on her schedule. It felt like her parents and boyfriend ignored Shizuru's inner ability to act on her own two feet. They made her life seem like a game, and in their hands was the controller. Right now the girl wanted to explore something she thought she could be passionate in until retirement, only to be shackled by the expectations of others. Her curiosity and those raw, viridian eyes seemed to be the only driving forces behind the brunette's aspirations since she was unable to draw any actual support from the people in her inner circle. It was sort of a mockery. How could the people in her inner circle feel worlds away? How could they not ask a single question about what she was doing every afternoon? It's not like they didn't know where she was going. How could they not ask a single question about Natsuki? Shizuru was in this thing to prove a point, but how could she do that when no one was paying attention to the point itself? Even right now, Shizuru stared at her boyfriend freely tapping his fingers on the steering wheel from the window's reflection as he whistled a tune. _Can he not read the atmosphere?_

"Can you take me home?" Shizuru asked once the car slowed to a stop behind a red light, ebony eyes immediately looking at her.

"But I thought you'd be staying at my place tonight like we planned over the phone?" Shizuru thought about that phone call from the previous night, having missed the boy since he became so busy. She had told him her parents wanted to sit down with them soon, the boy saying his schedule would be free tomorrow night. The brunette had suggested herself catching a ride to her parents' and then back to his place to make up for _missed opportunities_. But after that dinner, being practically ignored by her parents and watching her boyfriend brag about his rising medical career all night, Shizuru felt more annoyed than the joy stemming from knowing her boyfriend and parents had a great relationship. Maybe she was just being oversensitive tonight.

"I know, but I'm just really tired."

"We can just talk." Shizuru rolled her eyes, staring at her own reflection in the window. This 'just talking' scheme almost always led to sex.

"Ara, _please_," Shizuru finally glared at the boy, his frame illuminated by the moonlight. She trailed from his strong eyes to his sharp jawline, to his lightened hand on the leather steering wheel. It gripped tighter.

"But baby, I've missed you–"

"I have too, but we'll have other times for us. I just want to go to sleep."

"Well you can sleep at my place then." Shizuru's mouth hung slightly agape. She couldn't believe him right now. What was so wrong about taking her home?

"I'm more comfortable in my own bed," she said coldly, turning in her seat towards the door again. "Plus I have a test in the morning. I need rest."

Reito clinched his jaw before giving in. "Fine."

Without warning, the car whipped around, the boy making a sharp U-turn. The brunette's heartbeat went from calm to erratic almost instantly. She shot the doctor-to-be a pointed glare from across the car. "What the hell–"

"This is taking you home, isn't it?!" The strange look in his eyes and abrasive tone silenced the scarlet orbed girl. She experienced neither before. It was… frightening.

Soon the sound of tires against pavement engulfed the car, the two beings within it hesitant to speak to one another; one cautious of their own actions, the other beyond annoyed. Headlights reflected on the windows of the familiar, weathered building as the medical student parked. Before Shizuru could escape the awkward ride, a firm grip on her fleeting hand stopped her motion.

Maroon met chocolate. "S-Sorry," the boy choked. "…I just wanted to say sorry." Slim fingers slid from the coarse hold.

"It's okay." Shizuru wanted to get inside as quickly as possible, the day's events and this… this argument wearing her down.

"We're okay?"

"Sure," she answered open-endedly before shutting the car door. She had had enough of Reito for one night. Enough of her mom, enough of her dad. The one person she hadn't quite acquainted herself with well enough was somewhere in this city, under the same stars and same clouds, breathing the same filthy city air. As Shizuru heard the rumble of the sports car fade into the background, she rested her head on the cool door leading into her flat. But on her body, she felt another rumble.

Reaching into her pocket, the girl pulled out her buzzing cell phone. The picture associated with the caller gave her a new sense of awareness.

"Aoi." Her breath condensed on the door in front of her, this night being unusually cool again for mid-September. She waited for her charming, sarcastic, outgoing friend's voice to seep through the phone speakers and ease her irritation, but that voice never came.

"Aoi?" What came to her instead made her feel much, much worse.

"_Your friend's in trouble."_

* * *

**A/N: Cliff hanger! :O Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter… it was on the short side, I know, but I still tried to make it full quality wise. And as usual, I apologize for any mistakes. I've been feeling down lately… don't know why. I wrote the first part feeling really bad, but I hope it still flowed well and kinda made more sense of Natsuki for you. More things about her past will come out later. Please review guys. I appreciate all the reviews I've gotten so far; it brightens my day.**

– **Ocha-chan**


	5. The Art of Loneliness

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own MaiHiME, but I do own this story concept.  
**

* * *

The Art of Loneliness

_Winds blow, causing bundles of leaves to sway towards the earth, each tracing the breezes cutting through the air. Birds chirp from branch to branch. Fish swim together as they go from coral to coral. A butterfly flies from flower to flower, grazing my shoulder while taunting me with its freedom; I guess the policies of the air have no limitations. Life continues on like this every day, nature seemingly peaceful, humanity seemingly ordinary. Is every day on Earth supposed to feel like the one before it? Is a person supposed to live one day pretending it's already the next? If this is life, what is living?_

_I am not living. I know this much. People must think I'm stupid, but a person doesn't become educated by just going to school. Scientific studies are all based on observations, so all you have to do is use your senses. I am using mine. I can tell that those around me aren't my family. I know that these reoccurring pains in my head aren't just the random migraine. I can see that who I am is not how a teenager is supposed to be. These bruises and marks aren't supposed to be here. I am supposed to recognize the person in the mirror in front of me. I am supposed to love myself, myself who is so weak in spirit and heart but strong in the mind. _

_I guess my ordinary isn't ordinary._

_But even something unordinary deserves a chance to live. If life sucks this much, then is living any better? I wish I could find that thing… that one thing that makes a person live._

* * *

"_Your friend's in trouble."_

The deep voice shot chills down Shizuru's spine.

"What are you talking about?!" The girl couldn't register the speech with all the commotion going on around her – the accented clacking of metal keys followed by a growling engine; the screeching tires gripping the asphalt as a foot stomped on the acceleration, forcing the car to rip past the light traffic on the dully lit streets. "Who is this?" She managed while keeping the phone practically glued to her ear, navigating the car one-handedly.

"_You don't know who I am. But you need to come get her before something bad happens."_

Shizuru's mind scattered with possible situations her best friend could've gotten herself in; however, it seemed as if each pixelated thought returned a blank in her mind, failing to conjure any reasoning for what was going on.

_Aoi's not a reckless person. I know that._

"Where is she?! Where are _you_?"

"_I'm heading to the pharmacy. It's about three blocks away from Kiyohime. She's with me–"_

"Please, please stay with her until I get there."

The phone slapped shut, the action echoing within the car, within the brunette's thoughts. She threw the device onto the adjacent seat, trying to focus on the pavement, red taillights, the characters on license plates – anything other than the warm liquids rolling down her cheeks and falling from her chin. Fighting the temporary blindness created by the clear liquids, the brunette tore down the streets, the pink hue of a familiar sign coming up rapidly in the front windshield. Her gaze locked onto the illuminated letters, the familiar colors and ambience of the club becoming fresh in her mind from her recent visit. Eyes became lost, mind was cluttered, and heart was rampant. Shizuru wasn't even sure what was really going on. Things were progressing too quickly and suddenly.

Upon finally arriving, feet guided an absent mind through an almost vacant parking lot, fingers clicking the lock button on the set of car keys before wiping away any traces of tears. A brief ringing sounded as the girl rushed into the store, the scent of new carpet and cough drops gracing her nose.

"Where are you?" Shizuru spoke after the ringing ceased from redialing her friend's number. "I'm here now." The girl strode past the cash registers, walking in between an aisle lined with hygiene products.

"I'm right here." Shizuru whipped around, startled from the closeness of the voice behind her. Behind a set of deodorants, Shizuru spotted a pair of eyes behind glasses, the person's shoulder length hair smoldered by an arm. It was just then did Shizuru acknowledge a much stronger scent of, of–

"She really couldn't handle her drinks."

Shizuru couldn't make out the brunette across from her that much due to the metal shelves in the way, though it didn't take a magnifying glass to see Aoi's disheveled hair and droopy presence. And the sight scared the scarlet orbed girl.

"A-Ara… Kami-sama…," Shizuru's feet sped to the end of the aisle, swooping over to the next and hastily approaching the two figures.

"Z-Zuru… Shi–" a burp interrupted the Aoi's babbling. Shizuru looked from the girl's slushed face and barely opened eyes to her swaying limbs, the image of her usually energetic and confident friend looking like a lost cause coming across very disturbingly.

"It's okay, I'm here. You're going to be okay." The intern reached for the girl's other arm, pulling it over her own shoulders. She soothingly rubbed circles in her back, the motion calming her down somewhat as well.

"Mmmmm," the girl gurgled, unable to form any coherent speech. Shizuru was more than a little worried. She had never seen Aoi this drunk, nor thought of why the girl would ever drink this much in the first place.

"She surprised me tonight. I've never seen her get more than one or two drinks usually," the deep voice whose words sent shivers coursing the brunette's body earlier drew Shizuru's attention, her eyes sweeping over to the person. "I didn't think it'd be best to leave her by herself. She came in alone, so I assumed–"

"How would you know how much she usually drinks?" Shizuru peered at the stranger with speculation, halfway between being grateful and suspicious. The two began the trek towards the store's main doors, both silently agreeing to head to the brunette's car. Shizuru eyed the vehicle which was parked remotely close to the entrance, though at the pace the three were moving, it might as well have been parked across the street in the next lot.

_This may take a while._

"N-No, it's not like that. I-I work at the club. I was concerned…," wine red eyes redirected from the pharmacy's front glass doors to the person on Aoi's other side again. She studied the… boy's stock-like appearance, though couldn't help notice some feminine qualities in his face and voice.

"I'm a bartender and DJ and Kiyohime, really!" The boy retorted against the brunette's chastening glare, a trait she may as well have adopted from her mother. "See?" The boy used his freehand to point at the nametag on his black dress shirt.

_Chie?_

"Harada, at your service," he flashed a lopsided grin. "You?" The brunette admired the boy's easygoingness despite the situation they found themselves in. It relaxed her, if only a little bit.

"I'm S-Shizuru," the girl stuttered, having difficulty keeping her slumping friend upright. "And Kiyohime's my favorite."

"Mine too," Chie laughed, earning a rare smile from Shizuru. Though she had to admit she was enjoying the company, Shizuru couldn't take her attention away from her best friend. She didn't only smell her, but felt the immense heat coming from Aoi's body, which in turn made her scent even more apparent.

"Did you give her anything? Medicine, I mean."

"I tried giving her water. I'm pretty sure she didn't drink enough for any poisoning since she can barely handle two drinks. It probably didn't take many to get her like this." Shizuru took the boy's words with some consideration. She didn't exactly know how to help a drunk person, though she did believe the water would help at least until they reached her apartment. What she was more curious about was how he had any idea about Aoi's drinking habits. It was true – the girl usually only had one or two glasses, three at most, and even then, she had plenty of food and water to go along with it. Just how the boy knew this, Shizuru wasn't sure. Aoi usually didn't go to the bar without Shizuru anyways, and plus, didn't the boy have to service hundreds of people every week at work? Why remember just one girl?

"Thank you," Shizuru said, reserving the questions in her head for possibly another time if there ever would be one.

"Yeah."

The two remained silent as they continued the rest of the way to the car, Aoi drifting in and out between them. What had triggered her drinking? The question replayed over and over with every step on the concrete, the three finally exiting the store. Shizuru thought about how fine things were just yesterday; how she and the blue eyed girl were just at the Kiyohime only days ago; how they ate lunch together yesterday and greeted each other that morning. Shizuru hadn't noticed anything.

And she felt horrible for it.

The brunette had no hesitation in sharing her own problems with the smaller girl, though the events tonight made her realize that she had been a bad friend for some time, only pouring out her own emotions without asking Aoi how she was. The simple action could have helped the girl make more sense of what was going on right now. Why had Aoi done this? What was she feeling before she had her first drink, what was she thinking?

_Why didn't she tell me..._

"Oh, and, um…" Chie spoke up, the three only a few feet from the car now. "Sorry for the scare. When I called you, I seriously thought something worse would have come out of this. She was alone, and some guys were eying her from another table. When I went to her she already had her phone in her hand but couldn't use it. I just called the first person in her favorites, so–"

"You did fine. I'm here now."

"I know... I just… I didn't want those guys to take advantage of her."

"I have a feeling even if she was this drunk, Aoi would've put up enough of a fight to grab the securities' attention. She hates men." Shizuru took a glance at the subject of their conversation, traces of tears shining on her face under the moonlight.

"S-She hates men? Why?"

Shizuru knew the real reason, but she felt like she'd already given out enough of her friend's background without her consent. "She just doesn't like them." _Her preference is of the other gender…_ "But I think she'd like you." Shizuru gave Chie a small smile, the boy returning a confused look from behind rimmed glasses.

"Me? Oh, but I'm not a–"

"You mind helping me?" The brunette cut off the bartender, gesturing towards the passenger seat since the intern had already managed to unlock the vehicle and open the door. Chie simply nodded, and, without warning, lifted the girl bridal style.

"Nuh… ge– get ooff," Aoi slurred, her arm falling from Shizuru's shoulder in the process. The wine eyed girl backed away, allowing Chie to safely maneuver the stirred drunk into the car. Once the click of her seatbelt echoed into the night and her feet and arms were secured in the car, the black haired boy shut the door, turning to see the brunette behind him eying her friend.

"S-Sorry I didn't manage to stop her before she got in this state."

"Don't apologize… this might be more of my fault than anything." The girl had a hard time removing her scarlet orbs from her best friend, tears threatening to re-breach under eyelids at just the sight. Aoi was her best friend for a decade. Her best friend that stayed with her for her personality, not for the wealth attached to the Fujino name. They endured everything together. Shizuru's struggles became Aoi's struggles. Aoi's cheeriness brightened Shizuru's day. They laughed together, smiled together; they cried together. But now Shizuru found herself crying alone. Even though Aoi was right in front of her, she still cried over the thoughts of losing her – thoughts of losing her and not knowing why; thoughts of being alone plagued her mind. Shizuru didn't want to be alone. She had gotten a taste of friendship, and she wouldn't dare think of being without it. Shizuru didn't want to go back to the way things were before Aoi.

She didn't want to go back to being lonely.

"H-hey… are you okay?"

Shizuru had unfrozen from her state of grief, dark eyes watching her as she wiped away the liquids racing down her face. "Y-yes. Ookini… I'm fine. I'm fine," the girl repeated, trying to convince herself that what she was saying was true. Without another look at the boy, Shizuru made her way to the other side of the car, her eyes scanning the concrete under her feet. She didn't want Chie to see her crying anymore. She didn't want anyone to see her, to see how bad of a friend she felt like. Headlights flashed to life as the engine rumbled, the car starting.

"Chie… Thank you." Shizuru called from the driver's side, her window rolled down. Chie smiled even though he knew the brunette probably couldn't see him from the opposite side of the vehicle past Aoi. "And…"

"…Yes?"

"Good luck explaining this to your boss when you get back to Kiyohime."

* * *

_Another day passes on the calendar, passing me by yet again. My body isn't operating in this year, in this time. Time stopped for me long ago. It stopped for me when I lost my everything. It stopped for me when I lost her. It stopped for me when I began to no longer recollect certain memories. It stopped for me when I got… them. It stopped for me when I lost myself. I can't find me anymore. Who am I? Am I just a name? Am I a worn spirit trapped in an equally worn body? I suppose so. Am I what my parents call me? Worthless? A waste of God's efforts? A lowlife? Virtually nothing?_

_No … I know I'm not virtually nothing, because without me, my parents probably wouldn't be with me. Because of what's attached to my soul, what's enforced by law, they stay with me. Since when did greed manage to consume mankind so well? And could there ever be an antidote for it? _

_Though once again, I ask myself, why am I writing these things? I suppose whoever's reading this can't understand Japanese, because I've practically written out my story for you like a map. Aren't you people like pirates anyway? Seeking out trouble for a hefty reward at the end. And when you get the treasure, it's on to the next one. You leave the island on which you found the treasure. You trash the map. It no longer has any use._

_I may not have any use left, but I still have a brain. And right now, it seems like that's all that I can thank God for. _

Fingers crimpled the edges of lined paper, its sides curled from the countless times it was read, from the countless times tears have met ink while reading the words etched onto the bark remains.

"Tokiha-san, are you here for Takumi?" Violet eyes left the paper, taking in the presence of one of the nurses who ran this hospital floor.

"Ah, not exactly," the redhead rose from her seat, shifting the paper into a small notebook and stuffing it in her purse. "I'm here to see his doctor. Is Nenji-san in right now?"

"I can check for you. Just give me a second to make a quick call." Mai watched the nurse's back as she headed towards an enclosed space, losing sight of her once the door to the waiting room's office closed. The girl released a brief sigh, closing her eyes. After re-reading the journals of the teen, since, after all, the woman was _in charge_ of the investigation of Natsuki this time around, the words seemed to become engraved on her eyelids, the haunting messages that were well beyond the girl's age striking chords within Mai's heart.

_The date on that last journal… she was only fourteen…_

"Tokiha-san," the nurse returned to Mai's side of the front counter, "I'm sorry. It seems that Dr. Nenji just left for his lunch break a little over ten minutes ago. Would you like to leave a message?"

"No, that's fine," Mai waved off politely, a quaint smile on her face. "I'll just go visit Takumi before I leave."

"Go right ahead." The nurse smiled genuinely. "I really hope he knows how great of a sister you are. I know all of the staff here thinks so."

"T-Thanks." Mai couldn't get by without feeling a twisting in her stomach at the nurse's words.

Heels clacked along plain white tiles, the usually cheery redhead making her way calmly down a familiar hallway, one she knew just as well or maybe even more than the halls in her workplace. A row of cherry blossoms graced the patients whose rooms opened up to the sight beyond the windows aligning the hall, a light pink hue reflecting on the floor. Mai ignored the trees, her mind fixated upon the papers in her bag and the boy who knew about them. Who she had told everything to from the beginning.

"Takumi, its dad's birthday today. He just turned fifty-four." The girl spoke while entering, closing the door behind herself.

A pale, emotionless face left the comment unanswered, eyes stayed shut, and the rhythmic, machine-induced breathing continued. Mai sat her belongings on the floor, pulling up a chair to the boy's bedside. She leaned over a bit, examining the changes in his face, the way his jawline became more rigid, the small stubs of hair growing on his chin and above his upper lip.

"It's the third time, Takumi. That you've missed his birthday."

The boy's straight face remained; the only thing moving was the line on the monitor to the left of the bed, with the occasional shadow from the flutter of butterflies outside the window. Mai sat contently watching; she remembered a time where she came every day to the hospital, crying on her brother's chest. Blaming herself for his condition. Now her tears were nearly exhausted. They were replaced with laughter, smiles, even mints, perhaps. Anything to keep her own faults from her mind. Anything to make it seem like she was okay. Anything to make her appear less guilty. Though ever since a certain brunette walked through glass doors, ever since meeting with Haruka – hiding behind a smile became a challenge.

_What a child specialist you are._

…_Can't even take care of your own brother._

"When you wake up, I think I know–… I mean, I have an idea of what you might be dreaming of right now." Mai reached for his hand, holding it gently between her palms. "It's about her, right?"

If it weren't for the growth of the boy's hair and the slight rise of his chest, the child specialist may have mistook her brother for corpse. His body was so thin; his color was sapped from him; he looked older and young at the same time.

"You can hear me, can't you?"

A hand rose from the hospital bed mattress, Mai's fingers hovering over her brother's forehead. His eyes. His nose. She could still feel the warmth radiating from his body as she slowly went over his face, reminding her that there was still a dormant soul locked within. The girl exhaled before placing her hands in her lap, the sense of life she found almost relieving.

"Takumi, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I-I… I," Mai's throat constricted, not allowing her to continue the pleads that she knew she shouldn't be making in the first place. Swallowing dryly, she continued. "When you wake up, I don't expect you to forgive me. I let you down twice. You shouldn't forgive me. And I-I…–"

A sudden burst of the door leading into the room caused Mai to jump in her seat, shooting her gaze towards the incomer. The door swung behind the guest, the girl fashioning a hospital gown, her long, black hair swaying just above her waistline.

"Mai?"

"Mikoto-chan?" The shorter of the two stood still, gazing innocently at the redhead who was very surprised to see the girl. "You're still in the hospital? I thought you were released a couple of months ago?"

"I was." The teen responded quickly. "I relapsed."

Before Mai could question the girl's condition or ask why she was even out of her room if her health was so poor, Mikoto brushed passed the child specialist's shoulder, making her way to Takumi's bedside and leaning across his legs.

"Takumi needs to say happy birthday to me. I just turned fifteen." The girl's words left Mai feeling dull. Mikoto and Takumi had been friends for a long time, meeting for the first time in the hospital. Takumi was there after having a pretty bad asthma attack, Mikoto for prolonged stomach aches. Little did they know it wouldn't be their last day seeing each other in matching gowns. The two's situation just reminded the redhead how at fault she was. How she'd be forever drowning in contrition. How she could've prevented his lung failure, the closure of the airways to his brain, the stopping of his heart. Though he made progress as the years passed, his health was never the best.

"But Mikoto, in this state, Takumi can't–"

"He promised." The girl glared over her shoulder at the redhead before rising from the boy's legs and reaching one hand towards his face.

"Happy… birthday… Mikoto-chan," the girl used her fingers to move his lips in synch with her own voice, Mai finding the scene before her warming yet doleful at the same time.

"Thanks Taku," the teen smiled, placing a small peck on his cheek before turning and heading towards the door, not sparing another glance at the room's other company. Soon after the door closed, a single, dry tear trailed from a plum colored eye. Mai felt responsible. Responsible for her brother's a coma. Responsible for Mikoto's loneliness. Responsible for Natsuki's moroseness, and for Shizuru having to handle such a task. There was a reason she hesitated to step into that small room during Shizuru and Natsuki's sessions, to lay eyes upon that computer monitor, to gaze at those emeralds which shone so vividly years ago, childlike-purity flowing from those eyes. There was a reason she felt her heart sink after receiving this assignment from Haruka in her office a little over a week ago.

There was a reason for why Mai had failed Natsuki Kuga.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I guess I could've made this chapter much longer, but I've decided to save some events for next chapter… which means A LOT of plot-driven things will be happening then. Ahhh, I'm just so excited! I've pretty much mapped a good portion of the story out already… that's why I know you all will enjoy the next chapter. Hey, it might even come out sooner than you all expect… and reviews may also help influence that. Anyways, I'm so very appreciative of all the attention this fic is receiving! I know I've said this time and time again, but reading your reviews literally makes. my. day.**

**On another note, I know this story is very detailed and paced. It's purposely like that. I want to create three-dimensional characters, and will try my best to do that. That way no character shall be painted in the same color. There shall always be a reason, a way, and a meaning, but never a single-tracked motive. I hope you understand. ^_^**

– **Ocha-chan **

**p.s: Some of you reviewers are very insightful! The connections you make between characters are very precise, but I'm not going to tell you that you're right just yet… you'll have to keep reading ;)**


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